‘Tis the Season

Remember when the thought of the Holidays brought a smile across your face? For some of us, we reminisce of these times… of all the Holiday festivities and excitement of family time, toys and time off from school.

However, that excitement often doesn’t feel the same for our children, who like their routines and to know what to expect. We know change can be difficult for them, but what about all of the excitement surrounding this time of year? They find it extremely difficult to process. Couple that with parent expectations of a more carefree, fun-filled time. In the end, families often find the holiday time is not what was envisioned and end up feeling disappointed, frustrated and even angry.

Plan Ahead

Plan a calendar as much as you can ahead of time. Create your own (see Pinterest) or use Apple App <ChoiceWorks>. Review every morning and at night for the next day. Include your child in this process with an outline for those days to help them feel in control. A day of complete unknown, even if at home, can be unsettling for some.

Basic Techniques

Return to the basics of your program and go back to the full body regulating techniques to assist their bodies in regulating themselves. Take 10 minutes before going to an event and do techniques such as Navel Radiation or Body Greeting to bring balance. Try Embracing Squeeze on their arms during events to bring calm.

Taking a few minutes to be proactive can help us all enjoy peace during this Holiday time. Here are some reminders of the techniques I mentioned.

Navel Radiation – lying on stomach; one hand stays in the middle of low back while the other hands travels up and down the spine; to each limb (coming back to center each time) do opposite arm/leg and then both arms/legs, ending with just spine.

Body Greeting – press down for 2 seconds on chest, run hands firmly down arms, do 3 times. For lower body, press on the chest for 2 seconds and then run hands firmly down the torso and legs, repeat 3 times.

Happy Holidays!