Things are busy around here this month. There are parties and concerts, snow and hot chocolate. My kids are managing to stay amazingly well regulated so far - I have my fingers crossed that it continues. So instead of a reflective piece I thought I would share a few of the ways that we try to keep things moving along around here without everyone losing it.

Holidays bring a whole host of challenges and blessings for our children. They are wonderful events filled with joy and excitement and at the same time they are overwhelming, over stimulating and full of new and unfamiliar things - a recipe for disaster at our house. Here are some things that we do to try to keep things as normal as possible while enjoying the holiday season.

• Keep traditions the same from year to year, it gives the children something to look forward to and creates some predictability. We put out Christmas tree as close to December 6th as possible. We go and cut it and then put it up all in the same day. We skip school and make a day of it.
• Use a calendar  to keep track of days. We have an advent calendar with daily messages and a toy inside, it helps the boys keep track of the days and gives them something to look forward to each morning.
• Bring a favourite game, book or activity to a party or outing. I try to settle my kids with a game if I see that they are getting overwhelmed by the people or event itself. There is often another child or adult who would like to play as well and so it works really well.
• Remember the need for down time. I try to make sure that events out are followed by a day at home just to be together if possible. If not I try to make sure that I do not have to many expectations for whatever down time we can find.
• Remind family and friends of what your child needs or may not need, sometimes people who only see children at holidays  do not realise how much things change over a number of months.
• Remember what tired and over stimulated feels like and put on your patient pants ( mine are hard to find some days!) Holidays are hard for everyone especially for kids, our kids are no exception.
• Sometimes taking the boys outside for awhile helps to calm things down, a change of air and scenery can go a long way to making something more successful.
• Talk to your kids about the holidays and give them some control/choices about activities. Perhaps someone is desperate to go to the pool or make gingerbread and those are not things that you had planned. Avoid the crisis and talk about expectations ahead of time.

 Whatever you celebrate remember that it is time to be together and enjoy one another. Make the best memories you can and don't sweat the small stuff because there is not enough time.

J. also writes at Stellar Parenting 101 where she rambles about being a Mom and other things that amuse her