The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can be both exciting and exhausting. We spend so much time hurrying back and forth to run our holiday errands that we often forget to make time for our kids.
Don’t let this holiday season overwhelm you with too many details and chores. Mighty Mommy has six tips to help you put your kids first this year so it can be memorable, merry and bright.
Tip #1: Morning Cuddles: How we start our morning can have a tremendous impact on how the rest of our day will unfold. As my family grew from two kids to eight in less than ten years, I soon learned the importance of being organized and in control of my emotions right when I woke up. If I was cranky and scattered getting my family ready for school, many times they would follow suit. But when I wake up calm and happy and prepared to take on the day, it definitely has a ripple effect on my family. Because the holiday season is so hectic, we can easily wake up feeling overwhelmed and rushed, but if we can get into the mindset of remembering what this season is truly all about, then we can spread that good cheer to our kids and spouse. Whether you have toddlers or teens, set a loving tone for your family by waking up with gratitude for all that you and your family have in your lives. Then make a point of giving your kids a warm hug or a cuddle and spend 10-15 minutes of time connecting with them as they get ready for school. Be sure to invest some time getting organized the night before so you aren’t scurrying in the morning. Play Christmas music as your kids eat breakfast. Make the atmosphere festive and loving as you send them off to school. When you see how positively your family responds to this approach, you’ll want to start every day off with a morning cuddle and huddle!
See Also: 6 Steps to a Successful Bedtime Routine
Tip #2: Learn to Say No: I can honestly tell you that the word “no” is one of the most difficult words in the English language for me. I’ve been a people pleaser all my life so when someone has a request for me or an invitation or offer to do something, my first instinct is to say “Yes, I’d love to.” When we overextend ourselves to extra commitments, particularly during the holiday season, sooner or later we end up snapping or feeling resentful. One way to put your kids first is to stop accepting every invite that comes down the pike. If you do decide to accept invitations or sign on for extra activities, get your kids involved in the decision.
Tip #3: Make Sunday Family Time: We all want our kids to have as many experiences and advantages as possible, so we sign them up for Karate, art lessons, piano, soccer, baseball, scouts, swim lessons—the list goes on and on. Regardless of whether it’s your child begging to join all these activities or if you and your spouse feel they need to be exposed to as many opportunities as possible, step back and take a close look at how much time all of these commitments take, particularly the ones that involve Sunday practices or games. Instead of carting your child off to a Sunday lacrosse practice, carve out two or three Sundays during the holiday season simply to spend time as a family. Make gingerbread houses together, watch the Polar Express and make cocoa from scratch. Ask your kids what they would love to do as a family. Maybe they’d like to go drive through town and take in all the Christmas lights and decorations. When your kids know that you are making family time a priority, they will realize how important they are to you during the holidays and well after. See Also: 5 Ways to Add Magic To Your Child's Holiday
Tip #4: Invite Your Child to Spend Time With You: Even though we feel we are around our kids 24/7, we don’t always realize that we aren’t connecting with them and giving them our undivided attention because we are so busy with day-to-day life. One way to give your child some quality, uninterrupted time is to extend a personal invitation to him to spend some 1:1 time with you. Ask your son if he’ll keep you company while you’re folding the laundry so you can chat and catch up, and make sure you tell him to grab his favorite snack to bring with him. Or let your daughter stay up a little later than usual to watch a Christmas special with you after the other kids go to bed. You can even write out a formal invitation that you leave on her pillow or stuck to the bathroom mirror. I texted an invitation to my high school son last week asking him if he wanted to go Christmas shopping and out for ice cream and he replied in less than five minutes. To my surprise he was really excited about my reaching out and we spent a couple of hours, just the two of us, shopping, laughing, and enjoying delicious ice cream sundaes.
When our kids feel useful, they also feel close to us.
Tip #5: Let Them Feel Useful: We can’t always offer enriching experiences to our kids like going to museums or art exhibits but we can let our kids participate in life with us. Take advantage of opportunities that surround you every day—cooking dinner, cleaning out the fridge, organizing the linen closet, or going grocery shopping and involve your child. Let him help plan dinner that night or give him a basket of clothes to be sorted such as socks and towels. When our kids feel useful, they also feel close to us.
Tip #6: Offer Your Full Attention: When your child walks through the door excitedly calling your name, this is your cue to put down your magazine, turn off the TV, put away your cell phone or whatever else you might be doing, make eye contact, and say “You sound really excited about something—tell me all about it!” Your child knows when you’re really listening, so make this moment count. Not only are you connecting with your child by giving him your full attention, you’re teaching him what good listening skills are. Years ago, I heard some great advice when I was watching a version of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The guest on her show was talking about parenting and said that one of the greatest gifts you could give your child was to act excited and happy when your child walked in the house after being out at school or another activity. I couldn’t agree more. Whether you’ve been separated for one hour or a full day, making that gesture of happily caring that she’s returned home is an easy yet powerful way to show your child how important she is to you.
What are some ways you connect with your kids and let them know how much they mean to you? Share your thoughts in the Comments section at http://ift.tt/1wBcPAN, post your ideas on the Mighty Mommy Facebook page. or email me at mommy@quickanddirtytips.com. Also visit my family-friendly boards at http://ift.tt/1wyJKr5.
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