In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we are thinking about planning, hosting, and travelling with our families. If you have little ones, you may find yourself asking what you should do with your kids so that they can stay entertained while you are doing holiday tasks and spend quality time together during their winter break. Children may also feel the effects of holiday stress, which can cause them to act out, become more irritable, or regress from normal behaviors. Think back to a time in your childhood during the holidays, remember what it was like engaging with family members you rarely see, having so much attention paid to how much you’ve grown or what you’ve achieved in the last year, and the challenge of keeping a smile on your face when receiving an itchy sweater. With these thoughts in mind, let’s look at ways to help kids balanced while having fun.
First, managing your stress is important as it can set the tone for the day or event. Children are very insightful and can see when adults are stressed. Maintaining routines can also be helpful such as consistent bedtimes, snack times, and screen time. Kids prioritize routine and predictability in their schedules, and the holiday events may disrupt that. Put down the screens and try to spend as much time together as you can. While electronics provide awesome learning tools and entertainment for kids of all ages, being mindful of how much time they are spending with electronics during break will allow you to transition back to a normal routine after break. Creating new traditions together as a family or with your child is another option to help spark creativity and critical thinking skills. It can be things such as Christmas cookies, family games, creating new recipes, or even a service activity, like volunteering at a local organization. Seeing relatives around the holidays can be stressful, especially ones that we don’t get to see as often as immediate family. While it may be hectic during the get together, it is important to be mindful. If you feel yourself or your children getting lost in the hustle, take some time to go outside and get some air, or utilize your five sense to help calm you mind. Spending time with family benefits people in many ways, especially kids. Performing well in school, lowering the risk of behavior issues, and teaching effective conflict resolution skills are just a few ways! Whichever ways you and yours like to celebrate this time of year, may it be full of great memories and time with those you care about!
Written By: Alexus Masterson, MPH, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Muskingum County
Reviewed By: Jenny Lobb, MPH, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Franklin County
