Like most people, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed
with the holidays approaching. Before things get out of hand, take a few
minutes to examine your expectations. Try to scale back in an effort to make
this holiday season more manageable. Here are some ideas that might help.

 

• Make an  effort to relax. Your children take cues from you. If you’re exhibiting
  stress and anxiety, they will probably begin to show signs of stress as well.
  This often manifests itself as misbehavior, quarreling with siblings and more.

 

• Discuss expectations with other members of the family. Find out which traditions
  are important, and then eliminate the others–without the guilt. You can always
  re-evaluate next year to find out if someone feels like they missed a key part
  of the celebration.

 

• Pick your  battles with your kids. With so much activity, they will probably test your
  patience from time to time. Stay firm on the important issues like manners and
  sharing, but let the rest slide. If your daughter wants to wear bells on her
  toes, let her.

 

• Be aware  of how your child will interact with guests. This can be an especially
  stressful time for shy kids, so don’t make your child perform for guests or
  talk to relatives if it’s not comfortable. Instead, give her a chance to get
  used to the idea of having guests in the house. Everyone needs a little warm-up
  time.

 

• Give your  child a heads-up before the guests arrive. Especially if other children
  will be in the house, make sure you talk about the situation beforehand and
  remind him that the guests may want to play with his toys. If it’s after the
  gift opening has occurred, it may be necessary to put some of the new toys away
  and only bring out the ones your child is willing to share.

 

• Set expectations with  older kids. Be clear about when their
  presence is required at family events and activities. Although they may be less
  interested in traditional holiday obligations, you may be pleasantly surprised
  when they show up for non-required activities.

 

• Schedule  quiet time for each child. Kids usually act up when they get overtired, so
  make sure they get some breaks from the noise and confusion.

 

• Spend some  one-on-one time with each child. It’s easy for kids to feel ignored during
  the hustle and bustle of family visits, preparing for holiday meals, shopping
  and religious ceremonies.

 

• Try to  keep things as normal as possible when visiting relatives. If possible,
  keep the same bedtime, don’t skip naps and too much avoid junk food.

 

• Set  expectations for gift-giving. It’s okay to discuss your child’s gift wishes,
  but if he wants a gift that is beyond your means, then negotiate a more
  realistic second choice.

 

• Plan for  the let-down. Once the last gift is opened and the relatives have gone
  home, arrange for some fun to avoid the blues, like pizza night or a movie.

 

• Cut down on the number of social obligations. Begin by trying not to run around to
  the homes of too many different relatives. Instead, eliminate the stress and
  gather everyone in a central location.

 

• Set gift limits. This is especially  important if you constantly feel outdone by relatives. It may help to reduce the stress associated with
  overspending.