To say that 2020 has been quite the year is an understatement. As the holiday season nears, do you find yourself getting stressed just thinking about keeping your family safe and healthy while doing your typical holiday traditions?
According to Stephanie Lewis, associate coordinator and curriculum specialist for Ebenezer Child Care Centers, “The key to having a stress-free holiday season is being realistic, along with being organized and planning carefully.”
“Setting a schedule while trying to your keep your family as close to their typical routine will help alleviate meltdowns and unease. However, recognize the need to be flexible, especially this year. We’re all going to have to allow ourselves, our families and our friends a bit of grace this year.”
Getting the Kids Involved
Turning some of your holiday tasks into a family affair will make things fun and exciting for your entire family.
Lewis suggests allowing your children to make special loved ones, like grandparents, unique cards while you work on signing and sending your own. Another idea is giving your children a few cookies to decorate while you work on the rest. Or try putting on a family holiday movie while decorating your tree in case they wander away from helping hang ornaments.
Keep in mind that their attention span won’t last very long, and you will need to finish most of these tasks on your own. Giving your children a chance to help will make them feel important and is sure to get the whole family in the holiday spirit.
Shopping Made Easy
Lewis says, now more than ever, it’s important to take advantage of online shopping. She suggests using nap and bedtimes to your advantage. Shop when the kids are sleeping and have items sent right to your door to avoid headaches and hassles.
“Staying out of busy stores will help keep you healthy and your stress levels down,” says Lewis. “There’s nothing worse than standing in line for an hour, with a hungry toddler who is tired of waiting.”
Lewis also suggests that you use these sleeping times to wrap your gifts.
“Take the process slowly,” says Lewis. “Whenever a package arrives at your door, wrap and label it right away. This will alleviate the dreaded last-minute hour or two of wrapping all at the same time.”
Making Safe Choices for Your Family Over the Holidays
Try to limit your interactions with others this holiday season.
“This might mean skipping some traditions,” says Lewis. “However, then focus on creating new traditions at home. Avoid spreading your family too thin and simply enjoy the holiday time together.”
“Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals and taking extra care of our physical and mental selves will help us avoid getting run down and stressed out.”
Decorating your home, making cookies, drinking cocoa, reading books under the tree, and singing carols are all fun traditions that can happen right in your home.
Every family’s situation is a bit different this year, so take the time and plan ahead to make sure your own family is safe and healthy. All we can do is make safe choices for our own families and try to make the end of 2020 a holiday season to remember and cherish.
Ebenezer Child Care Centers is a not-for-profit, locally based agency committed to providing early childhood programs from the heart. The agency prides itself on being different from other child care providers in that it offers a home-like atmosphere; individualized, nurturing care; and a structured curriculum that is virtues-based for every child’s developmental stage.
Every Ebenezer Child Care Center focuses on all aspects of a child’s development: cognitive, physical, emotional, and social. In addition to providing quality care, the agency also offers other educational programming all aimed at helping parents.
The agency has locations in downtown Milwaukee, Oak Creek, and West Allis/Wauwatosa. The agency’s main office is located at 1138 S. 108th Street, West Allis.
