Supporting Kids to Manage the Holidays
The CAPS Team has put together a list of strategies and resources to help you and your family manage the stresses of the holidays.
The holidays can be challenging for children and families. By the end of the year most people are feeling exhausted, and while festivities are fun and exciting, they also require a lot of energy. With the additional demands of the holiday season, it can easily become an overwhelming time. For kids, school holidays bring changes in routine, an increase in social events, high expectations, a loss of connection with friends and support people, changes in eating habits, and increased adult stress levels. These changes and stressors are often reflected in children’s behaviour, leading to increased conflict during this time.
When considering children’s behaviour during the holiday season, it is important to think about what factors may be playing a key role. Bear in mind your child’s brain development, capacity for emotional regulation, personality traits and sensitivities, and ability to tolerate different experiences. Behaviour is a form of communication and during the holidays it is especially important to be aware of everything going on with and around your kids. Try to think about how that may be reflected in their actions.
So enough about the negatives, let’s talk about what you can do to help your kids manage the holidays and make it a more positive and stress free time for your family!
It is important to first check that their basic needs are met. Are they hydrated? Are they well fed? Do they feel rested and safe? You should provide clarity around what is happening. Keep them in the loop about your daily plans, and look for signs of overstimulation. As much as possible, avoid overscheduling activities.
To provide you with more guidance going into the holidays this year, the CAPS Team has put together a list of strategies and resources:
Before going into an event, consider how you are feeling, and talk to your child about it. Discuss what you are looking forward to and what you might find challenging, as well as what you might do to help yourself regulate. In this way you are providing a narrative for what they might be experiencing.
Create a calendar of events for the week and go through it with your child. Talk about the logistics of what will be happening, where it will be and who will be there. They can cross off events as they pass or add in activities of their choosing (e.g. water play).
Create an emergency kit for when the unexpected happens. The kit should include something to eat, something to play with, and something that is soothing. Your child may want to add things to this “just in case” kit.
Watch Maggie Dent’s soother videos, which demonstrate techniques and strategies for easing anxiety.
Listen to Dr Becky Kennedy’s Good Inside podcast.
Download the Smiling Mind App, which includes mindfulness activities, short meditations, and visualisations. The app has categories for different age groups.
The holidays may feel like a stressful time, but they are also a time of joy and coming together as a family. We hope that these tips and tricks will help you make the most of the festive season, and limit the stress in your household. If you are looking for more parenting advice and strategies, we would love for you to check out our monthly parenting webinars.
