Stress free Christmas
A lot of us will be gearing up to start the Christmas celebrations and whilst it can bring joy and fun for us and our children, that won’t be the case for everyone.
Some children will be worrying about Christmas, about the cost of living, not having presents or wondering how their parents are going to afford it. Some will be stressed about the noise, busier places and lack of routine that comes with Christmas.
With the cost of living rising children are a lot more aware that things are tight, that there is a struggle and they may not be able to have or do some of the things they did before.
Whilst we all want to have a great, the pressure we can add to ourselves and our children can be overwhelming.
This blog looks at how you can still enjoy Christmas in a stress free way.
Some things to try are-
- If you have a child that struggles with change in routine or crowded places, try planning ahead for them, let them know what Christmas will look like and what will be happening on which day. Use a visual aid as that can help. Choose to shop at quieter times or online to help, book activities either first thing in the morning or the last session of the evening as they can be quieter.
- Remember you’re family traditions,-are there new ones that you can create that won’t cost a lot such as baking cookies or Christmas cakes. This can be done with older children too. They may initially say they don’t want to but will soon join in when they see you having fun with the Christmas songs on.
- DIY decorations- Rather than buying new ones spend time as a family making some.
- Secret Santa- If you have a big family rather than buying for everyone suggest a secret Santa and set an amount to spend.
- Set realistic expectations for your children. If they have had a few later nights they may be grumpy and less compliant than normal.
- Budget and stick to it-as wonderful a time as Christmas can be its not worth getting into debt over.
- Take breaks- this is for both parents and children. Take regular self care breaks during this busy time
- Focus on time together not the presents.
- Say no- Its ok to say no to invites especially if you and your child are feeling overwhelmed
- Prioritise you’re and your child’s mental health and emotional well being, if you’re feeling overwhelmed they maybe too.
- Take deep breaths, walk away if things get tense and listen to each other.
To quote Charlie Brown
“Its not what’s under the tree that matters but who’s around it”.