Holidays can be an exciting time for children but also a time of stress with large family gatherings, other children, and new environments. What can you do to reduce the anxiety of your children and prevent any behavioral problems? The following are some suggestions that can help.
Before Thanksgiving Day:
• Before the family gathering, show pictures of the people that will be attending the family Thanksgiving dinner. This will help prepare them better and they won’t feel so overwhelmed.
• Talk to your children about why families get together on Thanksgiving. There are some great children’s books on Thanksgiving that you can read to them as well.
• Plan to call the family’s house you are visiting beforehand and remind them to put away any valuables that your younger children could reach.
Arriving on Thanksgiving Day:
• Don’t force your children to hug and kiss the relatives they are meeting for the first time. It takes time for them to warm up and get comfortable. Tell your relatives to engage your children with a book or toy. This will help your children become more comfortable and build a relationship with them.
• Stay on schedule with your children as much as possible. Make sure your children get their naps if they need one at the appropriate time. Also, feed them their meals at their normal time as well. Children need consistency and doing these two things can really can help prevent a lot of behavioral problems.
• Finally, be consistent with discipline. Do your best to implement consequences as much as possible, especially if you are visiting another house. This will prevent them from attempting to do things they know they shouldn’t do.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and appreciate our family and friends and all that we have to be thankful for in our lives. Find ways to get your children involved. There are many activities children can do that can help them feel a part of it. You can find many ideas on the internet so plan ahead for something fun that all the children can do together!
I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am thankful to all of you who watch my segment and support what I do.
Dr. Nina