Creating a Calm Christmas: Gentle Parenting During the Holiday Hustle
The holiday season brings joy, excitement, and plenty of hustle and bustle. While Christmas is a magical time for children, the extra activities and changes in routine can also lead to overstimulation and overwhelm. For parents, it’s important to balance the excitement of the season with maintaining a sense of calm and structure. Here are some gentle parenting tips to help you keep routines and boundaries in place while embracing the festive fun.
1. Stick to Core Routines
While Christmas can shake up daily schedules, try to keep core routines like mealtimes and bedtimes consistent. Predictability helps children feel secure, especially during periods of high excitement. If you have busy days ahead, give them a heads-up about changes, so they know what to expect. A simple, “We’ll be staying up later tonight for the Christmas party, but tomorrow we’ll have a quiet day,” can help manage their expectations.
2. Create a Calm Space
The whirlwind of festive activities can easily lead to overstimulation. Make sure your child has a quiet, calming space to retreat to when they need a break. Whether it’s a cosy corner with blankets and books or just some quiet time alone, this space allows them to recharge. Encourage them to recognise when they’re feeling overwhelmed and support their need to step away from the holiday buzz.
3. Set Boundaries Around Gifts
Christmas is often focused on presents, but setting clear boundaries around gift-giving and receiving can help avoid disappointment or overwhelm. Talk to your children about gratitude and the importance of giving, not just receiving. Gently remind them to express appreciation for all gifts, no matter the size. Involving them in the process of making or choosing gifts for others can also shift the focus towards the joy of giving.
4. Manage Expectations
The build-up to Christmas can create big expectations in little ones’ minds, leading to disappointment if things don’t go exactly as imagined. Keep the conversation open by talking about what to expect from the day and focusing on experiences, like spending time with family or enjoying a special meal, rather than the gifts alone. If plans change or events don’t go as expected, acknowledge their feelings and help them process any frustration or sadness.
5. Prioritise Connection Over Perfection
With so much to do during the holidays, it’s easy to feel the pressure of creating the ‘perfect’ Christmas. However, children remember the time spent together far more than perfectly wrapped gifts or spotless decorations. Focus on small, meaningful moments, like decorating the tree together or snuggling up for a Christmas film. This helps maintain a sense of connection even when life gets busy.
6. Involve Them in the Festivities
Let your children be part of the holiday preparations. Whether it’s helping to decorate, making Christmas cards, or baking treats, involving them can help manage their excitement and give them a sense of responsibility. It also provides opportunities for connection and shared family experiences, which can reduce overstimulation and bring calm to the chaos.
7. Balance Excitement with Rest
Festive events like parties, visits, and outings are fun, but they can also be tiring for children. Balance these activities with downtime, allowing for quieter days at home in between busy ones. This helps prevent exhaustion and keeps the mood calm and happy.
8. Encourage Mindful Moments
During the busy holiday period, encourage your children to take moments to slow down and be present. This could be as simple as pausing to admire the Christmas lights or taking deep breaths together before opening gifts. These small mindful practices can help children stay calm and grounded.
By maintaining gentle boundaries and focusing on connection, you can help your little ones navigate the excitement of Christmas without feeling overwhelmed. A calm and joyful Christmas is possible—one filled with meaningful moments and happy memories for the whole family.
Anisa is an accredited and certified Positive Parenting Coach, mother, and ex-deputy head teacher, with 25+ years of experience working and supporting children and families. Anisa specialises in empowering and positively transforming lives of parents and children, who are facing stress, anxiety, or just day-to-day challenges of parenting – working with them directly, in group environments, and through corporate channels. Anisa is hugely passionate about using her coaching skills, and educational background, to find ways for parents and children to move through the challenges they face in life, together.
Anisa is here to help bring about multi-generational change as she believes we often get stuck in the patterns from the past, following the path we ourselves tread, which isn’t always the right one to support our children and she is here to help families work things out, so they get to know that parenting does not have to be hard.
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