Over-stimulation and special events often go hand in hand.
Birthdays and holidays are a fun time to get together, but they can also be stressful for the littles ones in our lives. These occasions often mean a disruption to schedules as well as new experiences, behaviors and expectations.
So how can we keep these times as stress-free as possible? Below are some expert takes on keeping special days special.
Dr. Tovah Klein, opens a new window, one of our past early literacy speakers, offers four tips:
- Keep it simple
- Less is more
- Be mindful of your expectations
- Traditions begin with now
The Child Mind Institute gives us ways to handle visiting family members, opens a new window, has four points to keep in mind when planning holidays, opens a new window and managing behavior at formal events, opens a new window.
New babies are often the life of the party, but that can get old fast for Baby. Parents.com, opens a new window has your back.
It's not a post from me without mentioning Fred Rogers and his words of wisdom on celebrating holidays and birthdays. He emphasizes keeping the event simple and not worrying too much about making it the "perfect" day. There's even a paragraph on how to deal with disappoint, from the child and from caregivers.
These posts also cover celebrations and holidays:
- If you're looking to inspire a mood for giving instead of getting: Giving Happiness
- For when you're worried what your child will say if they receive a gift they don't like: It's What I Have (Not) Always Wanted
How do you avoid holiday meltdowns? We'd love to hear your tricks!
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