The holidays can be an incredibly joyful time of year, but they can also be quite stressful for parents. With kids away from their devices and routines, family and friends spending lots of time together, it can all become overwhelming quickly. To help you enjoy the holiday season to the fullest, here are some tips on how to avoid stress during this special time with your kids and family: 

1. Set Ground Rules: Before the holidays start, set up rules with your children and family members about how to behave in different situations. This will help keep everyone on the same page while also making sure that everyone is aware of what’s expected of them.  This is a great opportunity for role-playing!

2. Get Everyone Involved: Involving everyone in activities such as cooking, decorating and other activities will help keep the atmosphere light, encouraging everyone to work together. This can be a great opportunity for kids to learn about time management and problem-solving skills as well.  It’s also a great way to reduce screen time

3. Physical activity is one of the very best ways to release anxiety, get out into nature, and release the wiggles (littles) and the angst (bigs).  That fresh air can do a lot for the mind, body and soul.

4. The easiest way to move kids away from screens, avoid “cabin fever” and to stop bickering, is to distract them by planning outings, activities with friends, a family walk, or even planned quiet one on one time with you (one of the number one tips for curbing sibling rivalry)

5. Consider “device-free time in the car (you too!) - while driving from place to place.  Use this time to play fun games like “Eye Spy”, “Road Trip Scavenger Hunt” and the “License Plate Game”.

6. Create a ‘screen time’ window during the day. If you need to sleep in, set a 7am - 8am window. Otherwise a lot of families find the 3pm-5pm screentime window to be a great way to delay gratification while having an anticipated time to allow screens. 

7. Make Compromises: During the holidays, there might be times when disagreements arise. To avoid any arguing or tension, try to make compromises and respect one another’s opinions. This will help create a harmonious atmosphere for everyone involved!

8. Most importantly! Prioritize Self Care: Taking time for yourself is essential to being able to adequately support those around you. Choose activities during the holidays that make you feel good, like light exercise or reading a book. Make sure to take breaks throughout the day and don’t feel guilty about it! 

These tips can help you and your family have a stress-free holiday season. Enjoy spending time with your loved ones and have a great holiday season-and remember, good enough parenting is…good enough. Don’t expect perfection of yourself or your kids. It is easy to try to do all the things, which might make none of things fun. 

Note: Some of these can become routine ways of being outside of the holidays!