Help Ease Stress of Holidays For Children
Yes, even children get stressed during the holiday season. Stress is one affliction not exclusive to adults.
As Supernanny followers know, children desperately need routine, and when that routine is disrupted, all sort of physical ailments and behavioral outbursts can occur.
MSNBC provides an excellent article to help families through the holiday season, here.
“Kids are often stressed for the same reasons adults are, and they respond to the same kind of stress adults do,” says Dalton, a post-doctoral fellow in psychology. That means travel, gifts, family stress and change can leave children just as unhinged as grown-ups.
In addition to complaining of physical ailments, stressed-out kids tend to be more irritable, they often fight with siblings and friends, and they have more trouble sleeping. It’s not until children move toward adolescence that they have more insight into their thought process and emotions and will be able to let adults know that they’re feeling anxious.
The good news, though, is that parents and caregivers can do a lot to prevent children from ever suffering holiday stress. Foremost, adults have to remember that kids crave routine and structure no matter the time of the year, says Dr. David Fassler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Burlington, Vt., and a professor at the University of Vermont. “With festivities and travel it may be difficult, but as much as possible stick to routines such as mealtimes and bedtimes,” he says.
Fassler also recommends discussing holiday plans with your children well in advance. If you’re debating whether to attend certain family holiday parties or events, allow children to offer their two cents. Also be aware that constantly changing plans or making last-minute decisions will increase potential for stress.
