Managing holiday stress

While there is much to love about the holidays, there is no denying that they can be a challenging time of the year for all of us due to the multiple parties and other fun events, not to mention extra cooking and entertaining. It can be a lot to deal with for anyone. The lack of routine and extra excitement can be hard for your young children too.



Children of any age are affected by the emotional well-being of their parents. Your children will often react to your stress by exhibiting stressful behaviors of their own. Take time to care for yourself and you and your children are likely to have a more relaxing and enjoyable holiday.

Stress coping tips

• Try to keep household routines the same. Stick to your child's usual sleep and mealtime schedules when you can, which may reduce stress and help your family enjoy the holidays.
• Slow down and focus on one thing at a time. Savor the moment. As you may have heard, we truly cannot multi-task! We tend to jump back and forth between tasks, commonly known as ‘switch tasking.’ Focusing on one thing at a time will help balance the hustle and bustle of things like shopping, cooking and family get-togethers during the holidays.
• Don't feel pressured to "overspend on gifts." A new idea that has been circulating in social media is called the 4 Gift Christmas Challenge. Something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR, and something to READ. Many parents say they have felt a renewed simplicity and joy by giving meaningful gifts and not overspending.
• Give to others by making it an annual holiday tradition to share your time and talents with people who have less than you do. For example, if your child is old enough, encourage him or her to join you in volunteering to serve a holiday meal at your local food bank or homeless shelter or sing at a local nursing home.
• Most important of all, enjoy the holidays for what they are -- time to enjoy with your family. So, be a family, do things together like sledding or playing board games, and spend time visiting with relatives, neighbors, and friends.

Yoga, exercise, reading, coloring… whatever helps you manage stress is time well-spent for you and your child. You won’t just be helping yourself, you’ll also be exhibiting good stress coping skills which helps your children learn how to handle stress better too.

Walk-In Clinic

Winter holidays are also the season when we see an increase in the common cold, flu or other viruses. This time of year our walk-in hours are a huge benefit to many families. Locations & hours.

Check out our app NP PEDS MD for further information and home care advice.