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Holiday Stress

Submitted by Rebecca Q. on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 11:47am
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Holidays can be a time for fun and relaxation, but they can also become stressful. Travel, busy schedules, money worries, and high expectations can all make the holidays more stressful.

A little bit of stress can be a good thing. This is what allows us to meet deadlines and react in emergencies. But too much stress can cause problems, including headaches, stomach aches, trouble sleeping, bad moods, panic attacks, and behavior changes in children.

We often think of children as leading care-free, stress-free lives but children can feel stress too. Experiencing new emotions, learning how to make friends, changes in routines, and seeing stress in the important adults in their lives can all be stressful for children.

Children may not understand their stress or be able to connect it to the cause. They may only know that they feel overwhelmed, can’t sleep, have stomach aches, or just don't feel good. By talking to them you can help them connect their feelings to the cause. You may need to help them learn how to express what they are feeling with their words, through play, through drawing, or in other ways. You can also help them realize that they can do something about their problems. This is a great skill for dealing with stress no matter your age.

Here are some tips to help reduce stress for you and your children:

  • Take care of yourself. Eat regular nutritious meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of rest.
  • Make time for fun. Engaging in a fun activity can relieve stress for both children and adults. Be careful not to overload your schedule with activities, though.
  • Find someone to talk to. Encourage children to talk to you or another trusted adult when they feel stressed. Find someone you can talk to about how you are feeling.
  • Spend time as a family. Play a game, go for a walk, or have a family meal.
  • Remember that no one is perfect, keep expectations reasonable, and try to forgive yourself. Help children learn that it is okay to make mistakes.

There is no way to guarantee a stress-free holiday season and each child or adult responds to stress differently. But just being aware of stress in ourselves and our children is a good place to start. With a little work, hopefully we can help each other and our children have a great holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!