Word of Mom | Family Life

9 Ways to Help Your Family Avoid Holiday Overload

Avoid Holiday Overload

Holidays are a wonderful time, but they can also be stressful. Lots of rich food, endless activities, continuous stimulation, late nights, sugar galore... it's no wonder many of us suffer burnout by Jan. 2. But with some simple tips, families can avoid holiday overload and maximize the fun of the season.

1. Save the schedule. Many kids are sensitive to schedule changes, especially when it comes to sleeping. Holiday celebrations are likely to go much smoother if kids can maintain regular nap times and bedtimes. Now, I know it's challenging to plan sleepy time around the activities and Christmas parties and New Year's Eve celebrations. Certainly a hectic day here and there won't wreck the nightly routine. But pint-sized Grinches start to rear their heads if too many nap times and bedtimes are missed. It's worth a little planning and sacrifice to let the little ones slumber with visions of sugar plums.

2. Spare the stomach. It's hard to resist the plates of goodies heaped everywhere, and the dinner table loaded with special holiday food. Again, a schedule can help here. Kids (and parents!) are less likely to overeat the junk food if there are still regular, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Even a small handful of raw almonds or an apple can tide you over and impart the willpower to pass the cookie tray.

3. Mind the medical conditions. This may sound like a no-brainer, but in the hustle of the holidays it can be easy to forget medications. Or overlook allergies. Especially at a party where you may not know all the food ingredients. Enlist kids' help to remember when it's time to take pills or use asthma inhalers. Make sure relatives and hostesses know if there's a food allergy issue so everyone can be on the lookout.

4. Enlist the elves. I have trouble delegating at Christmas time. But I'm slowly learning that I don't have to do everything on my own! My kids are itching to help whenever I let them. Children can be great at manning the tape dispenser for gift wrapping, putting bows on gifts, decorating the Christmas tree, loading the car before a trip, keeping the house clean, and even baking and delivering treats for neighbors. Why fly solo for the entire Christmas season? Share the joy!

5. Out with the old. Here's another great way to involve kids in the holidays: Participate in a toy clean-out. We ask our kids to choose a boxful of their gently loved toys to give to other little friends who don't have presents for Christmas. We talk about how blessed we are as we sort the toys and imagine how happy some little child will be. Together, we take the toys to Goodwill. Not only do the kids feel good about helping others, they clear some room for new Christmas gifts.

6. Travel savvy. If your holiday plans include traveling, be sure to talk to kids about the plans. Let them know where you're going — maybe show them on a map so they have an idea of the distance. Help them plan activities for the car or plane so they don't get bored within the first five minutes. Be sure to hydrate, take regular stops to stretch legs and use the restroom, and have light snacks to (hopefully!) minimize motion sickness. If your kids are old enough, try lining up for a massage chain. Everyone can gently knead the stiff muscles of the person in front of them. It's a fun way to loosen up sore backs and necks while simultaneously releasing some feel-good endorphins.

7. Ease into electronics. If kids receive an iPad or video game console for Christmas, they're going to want to play it nonstop. That's probably not catastrophic in the short term. But it's possible to get headaches and jitters from hours of straight electronic entertainment. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours of screen time daily. Parents may consider breaking up playtime on the new iPad into distinct chunks (say, 30 minutes at a time), followed by a mandated hour or two of some other activity. Who knows... kids may get so involved in building a snowman or sledding in the backyard that they give the electronics a rest for an entire afternoon.

8. Caution is crucial! The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) urges caution during the holidays. Many injuries occur at this time of year from holiday decorations and fireworks. Keep power cords well away from kids and high-traffic areas. The CDC warns especially about candles — they are extremely dangerous around kids, pets, and anything flammable. If you love candles at Christmas time, it's a great idea to put fresh batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Parents of small children must be especially cautious about choking hazards (like candy, Christmas ornaments, toys, wrapping paper, etc.) and potential injuries. We learned one year just how quickly a curious baby can pull a huge Christmas tree over on top of himself. Talk to older kids about safety issues and make sure everyone stays vigilant.

9, Healthy, happy holidays. As folks congregate for parties, germs get passed around along with the egg nog. Make sure to wash hands often with soap and warm water and avoid touching the face. Help kids learn to cough or sneeze into their upper sleeve so they don't spread more germs. And be sure to dress properly for the frosty temperature — infants and older adults are especially susceptible to health problems caused by cold exposure. Use multiple layers of tightly-woven clothing and avoid staying too long in extreme temperatures.

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! May your days be merry and bright, full of fun, and as stress-free as possible.

How do you keep your cool and avoid holiday overload? Share thoughts in the comments section below!

Photo credit: Meaghan Curry | Stocksy

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Nicole Stevens

nicole stevens