The run up to Christmas is so exciting for children, it’s almost unbearable. The whirlwind of parties, shows, gifts and school activities produce a rollercoaster of highlights and anti-climaxes especially for the younger child.
With the festivities, normal routines and rules tend to go out of the window, often leading to tension between parents and offspring. Setting your new limits before the festivities kick off goes a long way towards avoiding friction over the holidays.
The rich food available around now may be too much for younger children; if you are relaxing mealtime rules make sure your youngster understands how much ‘proper food’ he must eat to be able to enjoy his sweet treats.
Similarly if you are extending your teenager’s curfew, this is the time to discuss the changes. On which dates will your teen be allowed to come home late? And how late? Deciding this now, saves you having to renegotiate the curfew prior to each outing and your adolescent will know her limits when she is making plans with her friends.
With a seemingly never-ending list of tasks to be completed before Christmas Day, the children getting under your feet may be an unwelcome distraction. Letting them help you will not only make your load lighter, it also keeps boredom away.
Children love to help in the kitchen, the messier and sweeter the better. Let them help by measuring out ingredients, stirring mixtures and greasing baking trays and cake tins. Older children can help with other cooking tasks like peeling vegetables whilst everyone can lend a hand to clean up afterwards.
Set aside an evening or afternoon to decorate the tree together, making the event something of a mini party. We do this every year and although the end result would drive a stylist to despair, seeing the children’s pride as they survey our masterpiece is well worth it.
The mounting sense of anticipation combined with later than normal bedtimes, makes for over tired, often fractious children. Structure a ‘quiet time’ every day when the children can read stories, do jigsaw puzzles or take a nap. Play soft, relaxing music if your children are too wound up to relax. At the end of this period, you may be pleasantly surprised to find your child’s equilibrium had been restored.
Christmas time may be a bustle of activity, but few of these activities allow children to use pent up energy. Children need some form of physical activity every day, so include some form of exercise in your day. Take a family walk, kick a ball around in the back yard or dance around the Christmas tree; not only will it benefit the children you’ll be doing yourself the world of good in the process.
However you plan to spend Christmas, remember to adjust your expectations to fit your children’s age and capabilities. Then sit back and enjoy this magical time through the eyes of your child.