The holiday season brings joy and excitement. But in all the fun, you might pack your schedule with too many activities and events. Soon, your calendar fills up. Your family ends up rushing from one thing to another, leaving little time to relax or spend time with loved ones. This nonstop action, often called "holiday overload," can make your little ones feel swamped, overstimulated, and anxious, potentially causing behavior problems, sleep issues, and emotional struggles.
By slowing down during this time, you can create a calm and close atmosphere, letting your family enjoy the fun and wonder of the holidays.
The benefits of saying “no” to the extra:
Taking it easy during the holidays can greatly help your child's well-being, and it's good for your whole family, too. Here are some strong reasons to think about slowing down:
Less Stress and Worry: Taking things slow gives you and your kid more free time, which helps cut down on stress and worry.
Better Handling of Feelings: A quieter setting with fewer distractions makes it easier for your child to manage their feelings.
More Valuable Time Together: Slowing down opens up chances for lengthy conversations, intimate moments, and light-hearted good times with your child.
Keeping Up Habits: Sticking to regular routines, even during holidays, can make your child feel safe and sure about what's coming next. This helps them feel stable and grounded.
Better Sleep: A quiet setting and typical sleep routine can help your child sleep well- supporting healthy behavior during the holidays and easing the transition back into post-holiday reality.
How to say NO- with heart
For many, the hardest part of slowing down is declining events to fun activities and gatherings. Be it family or friends, feeling uncomfortable turning down plans during the holidays is totally understandable. Here are a few responses you can try or use as inspiration.
Straightforward: Thanks for asking us for your holiday bash! We'll skip it this year since we want to keep things low-key for the kids and spend time with family at home.
Reflective: It was nice of you to ask us over! We've chosen to take it easy this year instead of getting caught up in the usual holiday rush. We want to give the kids a relaxing holiday. So far, it's been a nice change.
Sincere: Thanks for inviting us! We've decided to have a low-key holiday for our family this year. We're just trying to enjoy some downtime together. Have a wonderful get-together, and let's catch up after the holidays!
It's easy to get caught up in all the activities, events, and things you have to do. Try not to forget that downtime buffers are critical to childhood (and adult) well-being. Slowing down can be done even in “busy” dynamics so long as you get comfortable setting and enforcing some boundaries. This can help you strike a balance between “good busy” and “bad busy.”