Combat Those Holiday Blues

The holiday season can be a time of great joy and excitement or a time that families feel let down and blue. It can be a difficult time for parents and children to meet all of the expectations and demands of the season. Children and adults alike anticipate the good times and expect many wishes to come true. This added holiday stress can lead to holiday blues.

Most families today have a full schedule with work, school, sports, church and civic duties. During the holiday season families find themselves adding many more activities to their calendars such as shopping, visiting relatives and friends, parties, special rehearsals and programs at church and school. Added to this is the excitement of giving and receiving gifts.

Plan ahead to help your family cope with the holiday season and avoid the holiday blues.

Take time to consider how you and your family spent the holidays last year. Was it stressful, causing you to have the holiday blues? If so, make the changes necessary to make this holiday season fun and enjoyable for all.

Begin by thinking about your family and the ages, needs and interests and regular demands for each person. Try to maintain some familiar routines, such as a regular time for eating, bedtime, waking, homework and chores.

When planning holiday events, do so with your child in mind. This might include special considerations for the starting and ending time, guests invited, activities planned and the menu. When possible, be sure to invite some guests who have children or allow your child to invite a friend. This will make the event more enjoyable for everyone.

It can be quite stressful for a child to spend the entire evening with adults only. You might talk with your child in advance about how it feels to be tired or overly excited. Plan ways for you and your child to cope with this situation. When your child acts tired, suggest finding something quiet to do or a place where he can rest or calm down. Do this in private, so you meet your child’s needs without embarrassing him or disrupting the event.

Make allowances for inappropriate behavior. Give instructions and discuss expectations ahead of time. Remember that children, like adults, can sometimes be adversely affected by crowds, hurried schedules, fatigue, hunger, too much excitement, lack of sleep and disappointments. Plan ahead and determine appropriate ways to handle these incidents. Holiday celebrations and traditions are too important to be spoiled by behavioral situations that can escalate into battles.