The holidays are a great time to get together with family and show each other how much you care. They are meant to give us a break to relax. Often during this time of year, however, we find ourselves overwhelmed with feelings of stress and anxiety. This year, instead of overindulging in food and drink to de-stress, here are some healthy ways to manage the stress of the holidays:
Stay connected: Reach out to family and friends with whom you have positive and healthy relationships and whom you can count on to help during these times. It is important to have strong social connections with people and ask for help as well as offer help. Volunteering is a great way to help others and in return feel good about your positive contribution.
Communication with Children: Talk with your children about the expectations of the holidays, allowing them to partake in some of the planning, and making sure expectations are being discussed. This includes the children’s expectations as well as your own.
Set realistic expectations: We need to make sure we are setting realistic expectations for taking on what we can handle mentally, physically, and financially. This is a great opportunity to highlight the value of money with children and making sure their holiday expectations are heard and realistic.
Self-Care: Make time for yourself. Go for a walk, workout, or just set some time aside for you to be alone. The holidays are stressful and keeping our minds and bodies healthy will keep us moving and able to handle stressful situations that arise.
During these times not only do we as adults become overwhelmed and stressed, but children do, too. With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays it is important to keep things as calm and as normal as possible. Here are some tips to helping minimize your child’s stress during the holidays:
Maintain a regular routine/schedule: It is important to stick to a schedule with children. If there is an event that causes bedtime to be delayed, try having a more calming evening the following night to help get your child back on track and eliminate stress.
Watch what they are eating: Try to keep snacks that are healthy on hand when shopping or out at events for the holidays to help minimize the sugar intake.
Don’t overschedule, make time for outdoor activities, schedule quite times together, and remind them that the holidays are about giving, gratitude, and kindness.
I hope these tips will help reduce feeling overwhelmed and stressed during the holidays.
Sources:
How to Prevent Holiday Stress and Anxiety in Children By Katherine Lee. Medically reviewed by Carly Snyder, MD on December 05, 2020
