Monday, November 14, 2016

Parenting Pointers: Helping your Child Cope with Holiday Transitions




What are some common challenges kids face during the holiday season?

The holidays are a stressful time for almost everyone. If you Google “holiday stress,” you get more than 2 million results. And it isn’t just parents who feel these stresses. Kids pick up on their parent’s feelings during these times, which is why it is especially important to manage your own stress as well as the stresses your kids may be feeling this holiday season. 

With holidays come vacations – which feel fantastic! But for every vacation, there is the imminent return to reality and for kids who have to transition back to school, this can feel not so fantastic. Here are my tips to help kids transition back to school after vacation.

·      Start the school bedtime and morning routine well in advance, so that kids aren’t dragging at school the first week back after vacation. Sometimes that means cutting travel plans short to make sure you have plenty of time to get back into a routine.

·      Expect some push back! It’s difficult to switch gears from the fun and freedom of vacation to the rules of school. It probably isn’t easy for you to go back to your job, either!

·      Have conversations with your kids about returning to school and let them know as the time approaches. This will help them set the expectation of returning to school.

What are some warning signs that kids might be headed for a meltdown?

Some kids act out and some kids withdraw. Look out for either of these and make sure to make time to talk with your kids free of distractions. The car can be a good place for this discussion – as long as the kids don’t have any screens.

How can parents ease transitions between activities?

  • Try to keep to some of your regular routines, especially for sleep time.]

  • Keep it fun – get outside and play!

  • Don’t stress the mess. When you do take care of messes, put on some music and have everyone pitch in a little.

  • Do one nice thing for someone less fortunate. Appreciation and gratitude are key for keeping up holiday cheer.

  • Don’t over schedule. Make sure you have plenty of time for quiet stress relievers like taking walks and reading books with your children.


About Stewie BOOM!

The Stewie BOOM! series of children’s books addresses the tough issues that families face during sensitive transition periods. The

books can be used as a tool to help children cope with change as they teach kids to overcome adversity and be their own (real-world) superhero.  For more information, please visit: www.StewieBOOM.com

"The Stewie BOOM! series should be on every pediatrician's recommended reading list." -Dr. Bill Sears, 40-time Bestselling Author

About Christine Bronstein
Christine Bronstein is the author of the Stewie BOOM! series and founder of both A Band of Women, a social network and information website for women and Nothing But The Truth Publishing. She is a graduate of the Columbia/UC-Berkeley executive MBA program.  Her writing has been published on Forbes.com, in The San Francisco Chronicle, and on Maria Shriver's website. Christine has been featured in Elle.com, 7x7 Magazine, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Christine is married to Center For Investigative Reporting Executive Chair Phil Bronstein and is mother to three children.


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