Mindfulness and the Holidays
The holiday season is here! While fall session of play & learn groups has come to a close, you can still keep quality family time at the top of your wish list. This season provides great opportunities to expose your children to new ideas and experiences, to reinforce learned skills and knowledge and to encourage creativity, empathy, kindness and mindfulness. But too often “holiday time” means over scheduling, frenzied shopping, and family obligation instead. Below are tips & ideas to help your family mindfully navigate this season.
Simplifying Your Priorities
The most important way parents can help ease anxiety in children during the holidays is by setting a calm example. If you let holiday stress get to you, your kids will pick up on it. Take steps NOW to handle your own stress and anxiety first.
Here's how: Today, make a commitment to simplify your priorities. What are your top priorities are for the holiday season? Grab a scrap of paper and write them down. Yes, on an actual piece of paper. This is important because once written, you are going to read over your list then cross things that you could live without until you come to one (okay, or two) and that is what you care most about. From now on, everything you do this month is a choice to keep focusing on that and let the other things go.
The most important way parents can help ease anxiety in children during the holidays is by setting a calm example. If you let holiday stress get to you, your kids will pick up on it. Take steps NOW to handle your own stress and anxiety first.
Here's how: Today, make a commitment to simplify your priorities. What are your top priorities are for the holiday season? Grab a scrap of paper and write them down. Yes, on an actual piece of paper. This is important because once written, you are going to read over your list then cross things that you could live without until you come to one (okay, or two) and that is what you care most about. From now on, everything you do this month is a choice to keep focusing on that and let the other things go.
Understanding Your Child
For many children the holiday season means changes in routines, different foods, less sleep and increased expectations for good behavior (perhaps with a looming threat of no gifts under a certain tree?) bringing stress, anxiety and fatigue. Be mindful of how your child could be experiencing the excitement as anxiety, too.
Here’s how: Take time throughout the day with your child to manage expectations, monitor emotions and notice signs of exhaustion and anxiety. Click for more tips on supporting your child's mental health during the holidays.
For many children the holiday season means changes in routines, different foods, less sleep and increased expectations for good behavior (perhaps with a looming threat of no gifts under a certain tree?) bringing stress, anxiety and fatigue. Be mindful of how your child could be experiencing the excitement as anxiety, too.
Here’s how: Take time throughout the day with your child to manage expectations, monitor emotions and notice signs of exhaustion and anxiety. Click for more tips on supporting your child's mental health during the holidays.
Keeping a Routine
You may have already noticed changes to your child’s routine. It tends to start slowly with costume events in October and seems to keep going right on through to the New Year whether you have a school-age child participating in after school plays and concerts or a toddler coming along for shopping trips. The changes in schedule, though well-intentioned, can impact behaviors and moods of children of all ages. Mindfully approaching your schedule can make all the difference.
Here’s how: Take care to prioritize your child’s sleeping and eating routines and be open and honest with friends and family about the rules and routines of your household. Click for more tips on how to maintain a routine during the holidays.
You may have already noticed changes to your child’s routine. It tends to start slowly with costume events in October and seems to keep going right on through to the New Year whether you have a school-age child participating in after school plays and concerts or a toddler coming along for shopping trips. The changes in schedule, though well-intentioned, can impact behaviors and moods of children of all ages. Mindfully approaching your schedule can make all the difference.
Here’s how: Take care to prioritize your child’s sleeping and eating routines and be open and honest with friends and family about the rules and routines of your household. Click for more tips on how to maintain a routine during the holidays.
Parenting Sensitive Children
Children with anxiety, sensory processing, ADD/ADHD and other similar concerns can find holiday and family occasions especially overwhelming and over-stimulating. A mindful approach can make the occasion more enjoyable for your whole family.
Here’s how: Set aside time before visiting with family or attending a special holiday event to talk about your expectations of their behavior. Depending on your children’s developmental level, this may include reminders of polite behavior that are specific to the event (will it include waiting in line? keeping voices quiet?) or specific to your family (such as greetings or table manners) can help. Be open and honest with family too about what your child needs. Click for more simple strategies for families of highly sensitive children.
Children with anxiety, sensory processing, ADD/ADHD and other similar concerns can find holiday and family occasions especially overwhelming and over-stimulating. A mindful approach can make the occasion more enjoyable for your whole family.
Here’s how: Set aside time before visiting with family or attending a special holiday event to talk about your expectations of their behavior. Depending on your children’s developmental level, this may include reminders of polite behavior that are specific to the event (will it include waiting in line? keeping voices quiet?) or specific to your family (such as greetings or table manners) can help. Be open and honest with family too about what your child needs. Click for more simple strategies for families of highly sensitive children.
Parenting from Two Homes
When you are parenting children out of two homes, stress levels can quickly escalate to an all-time high during the holiday season. Use this time to slow down and take a mindful approach to rebuild a sense of family.
Here’s how: Talk with your children about their expectations, what will be the same and what will be different this year, and what is most important to each of you. Then, cut back on obligations while keeping those special holiday traditions that are worth hanging onto. Click for more tips on how divorced parents can help their children during the holidays.
When you are parenting children out of two homes, stress levels can quickly escalate to an all-time high during the holiday season. Use this time to slow down and take a mindful approach to rebuild a sense of family.
Here’s how: Talk with your children about their expectations, what will be the same and what will be different this year, and what is most important to each of you. Then, cut back on obligations while keeping those special holiday traditions that are worth hanging onto. Click for more tips on how divorced parents can help their children during the holidays.
Parenting Children Who Are Grieving
For families who have lost a loved one, the holidays — when new emotions and memories can hit with full force — are one of the hardest times of the year. Children often have trouble expressing their emotions, especially when they see their parents hurting too. Parents can mindfully help their children through this difficult time with open communication (close friends and relatives can help, too).
Here’s how: Talk with your child about their loved one with specific memories, letting the child share stories and feelings as often and as long as needed. Be flexible with changing holiday plans, allowing children to help make the decisions (where applicable) to feel more in control. Allow time for breaks, too: laughing, joking and clowning around are just as needed as sharing, hugging and crying. Click for more tips on helping grieving children through the holidays
For families who have lost a loved one, the holidays — when new emotions and memories can hit with full force — are one of the hardest times of the year. Children often have trouble expressing their emotions, especially when they see their parents hurting too. Parents can mindfully help their children through this difficult time with open communication (close friends and relatives can help, too).
Here’s how: Talk with your child about their loved one with specific memories, letting the child share stories and feelings as often and as long as needed. Be flexible with changing holiday plans, allowing children to help make the decisions (where applicable) to feel more in control. Allow time for breaks, too: laughing, joking and clowning around are just as needed as sharing, hugging and crying. Click for more tips on helping grieving children through the holidays
Finding The Meaning of the Season
Often called the Season of Giving, for many children the holiday season is abundant with sweet treats and new toys but what about teaching them the gift of sharing and giving to others? As we close out our week of holiday tips think about this: when you approach each day mindfully, you’ll notice the little moments and be able to help your children experience the true meaning of the season of giving.
Here’s how: throughout your day with your child, find the small moments to give extra cheer: hold open doors and wish “happy holidays” to people you meet. If crafting is a part of your routine at home, encourage a drawing or thank you letter to be sent to a relative or hand-delivered to a librarian or bus driver. And tell your child how it makes you feel when you share your cheer and brighten someone’s day. Click for more ways to encourage kids to give back this season.
Often called the Season of Giving, for many children the holiday season is abundant with sweet treats and new toys but what about teaching them the gift of sharing and giving to others? As we close out our week of holiday tips think about this: when you approach each day mindfully, you’ll notice the little moments and be able to help your children experience the true meaning of the season of giving.
Here’s how: throughout your day with your child, find the small moments to give extra cheer: hold open doors and wish “happy holidays” to people you meet. If crafting is a part of your routine at home, encourage a drawing or thank you letter to be sent to a relative or hand-delivered to a librarian or bus driver. And tell your child how it makes you feel when you share your cheer and brighten someone’s day. Click for more ways to encourage kids to give back this season.
