Preventing TANTRUMS During The Holidays

Happy Holidays Y’all!

‘Tis the season of quality time with loved ones, the practice of gratitude, freely giving to others, lots of good food….and…. temper tantrums!

See this picture above? This was Thanksgiving, a few weeks ago. Our little guy was moments away from a tantrum, and I was oblivious because I just HAD to have at least one good pic!

During the holidays, most of us are busy filling our schedules with holiday cheer. Along with this, we are either traveling or entertaining at home. If you’re a military family like us, it often means long distances and multiple days away. Regardless of your holiday plans, the hustle and bustle can easily lead to an overstimulated child. 

When a child is overstimulated, they are overwhelmed by too much activity or noise. In both infants and children, this may translate to elevated crying, tantrums, and/or short tempers.

I love spending time with loved ones in celebration of the holidays, but I try my best to be mindful of our little guy’s overall wellbeing. 

AVOIDING OVERSTIMULATION:

Going into the Thanksgiving holiday, my husband and I made plans to prevent overstimulation. Did our child experience meltdowns? Of course, but making a plan ahead of time limited tantrums and also protected the mental health of our child and us as parents.

TIPS To Avoid Overstimulation:

1. Maintain Your Normal Schedule:
   • It can be difficult to stick to your exact schedule during the holidays; this is especially true when loved ones are making the plans. This is where advocating for your child comes into play. As parent’s we must be ok with explaining ‘Little Timmy’ has to be back home for his nap/bedtime. It can become uncomfortable, but if we advocate in a way that’s loving, most folks will understand.
     • For example, “No Timmy can’t stay up to watch the fireworks because of bedtime, but he can go to the balloon drop that occurs at noon.”
2. Schedule Time for Breaks:
   • This tip is helpful for caregivers as well as their children. Managing holiday plans can be rewarding, but also overwhelming. Be intentional about taking breaks along the way.
3. Teach Self-Advocacy:
   • Children thrive from having language to express themselves. My husband and I are intentional in teaching our son the importance of self-advocacy and that we are his teammates in problem-solving. This gives him permission to speak-up for himself, as well as comfort in knowing we are available if additional support is needed.
     • For example, during playtime with a family member, our little guy expressed, “I would like some playtime alone please.” This was our cue as parents to commend our child for self-advocacy and also intervene with the family member as needed.
4. Limit Daily Outings:
   • Our little guy is 4, so we feel that one major outing a day is sufficient. This helps to minimize stimulation from activities as well as from others.
     • For example, in a recent trip, my in-laws took our son to the children’s museum and the remainder of the day we stayed at their home playing outside or indoors.
5. Create A Quiet Space:
   • I don’t know about yours, but my family is loud! Ha! When my siblings, parents, nephews, cousins, and everyone gets together we have a good time! This level of excitement and noise can be too much for an infant or child. Take the time to ask the host for a “quiet space”; this can be a secluded room or area of the home.
     • For example, at my mom’s house, the guest room is full of toys for our little guy. During Thanksgiving when he’d become overwhelmed he’d retreat there for some calm time.

THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE:

Take a moment to identify your child’s cues for overstimulation. This can be done in written or verbal form alone or with your child’s other primary caregiver.

Some cues to look out for are clinginess, irritability, and/or distance. In our little guy, overstimulation initially looks like self-isolation, and is quickly followed by outbursts of yelling, and dinosaur growls (think Bam Bam from Flinstones, ha!).

If your child will be in the care of other family members, be sure to discuss these cues with them as well.

If we are mindful of these cues then this will help us to mitigate meltdowns and manage them before they happen.

APPLICABLE BIBLE VERSE:

Romans 15: 13, Matthew 6: 25-34, and Isaiah 26:3

---

Next up is Christmas and we will have my mom and stepdad in town! I am so excited, but also already thinking of ways to keep the little guy from overstimulation and to keep us and our guests happy. Simple outings and plan ahead activities are already in the making for a tantrum free (or a less tantrum-filled) holiday!

Share this article with a friend who would benefit from these tips! Comment below with any additional thoughts you feel would be helpful to myself or other mamas!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!