I had a 15-month-old and was three months pregnant when I came up with the horrible idea to go to a special Christmas event at the local theme park. I was promised twinkling lights, hot cocoa (though it was probably 80 degrees outside), Santa, carols… It seemed like a great idea. It was not. It was past my son’s bedtime, parking was a bear, and the crowds zapped the jolly right out of me.
This is a classic example of how moms lose sight of the practical side of mixing toddlers and Christmas festivities because we so badly want to have a magical experience. I had expectations for my son at age one that are reasonable only now that he’s 11. It was just too much for him then. Are you handing your toddler too much right now? Learn from my mistakes and pull back on these 3 “lots” at Christmas.
1. Lots of Stimulation
We were walking out of a Cracker Barrel a few weeks ago and the table display near the door showed off a motion-activated Santa. As my tween sons and I waited for my husband to pay the check, Santa’s constant “Ho! Ho! Ho!” had us searching for his off switch. My younger son said, “I wouldn’t mind if Santa’s batteries ran out.” The lights and sounds are all more stimulating to toddlers, and they don’t know when or how to ask you to flip the switch to off.
The Antidote: Stick with your routine as closely as you can. Combining blinking lights and singing elves with a lack of a 3 p.m. nap will lead to a Christmas disaster. As much as you want to fit more in at Christmas, look for moments in the day when you can turn off the music or TV. Weave in some silence or a calm activity like coloring or reading to help your toddler decompress.
2. Lots of Sweets
I wish my body knew what was a Christmas calorie and what wasn’t. Gingerbread men, Nana’s fudge, and that second cup of hot cocoa—none of those calories should count, but they do. The same thing goes for kids. If you wouldn’t normally let your little one have five cookies after eating a handful of M&Ms, Christmas isn’t the time to throw your standards out the window. Future you will be grateful that you’re not dealing with a sugar crash while in line waiting to see Santa.
The Antidote: This isn’t going to surprise you. It’s moderation. You’re in control. Your child doesn’t grocery shop. So limit the number of sweets you bring into the house, and tell Grandpa the max is two cookies (because you know he’s going to sneak your kiddo a third).
3. Lots of People
One of the best parts of the holidays is the way they bring us together with people we love. You get together with church or neighborhood friends for a gift exchange; you see extended family at Christmas Eve dinner, and you bundle up the kids for the annual tree lighting ceremony downtown. But with all that, your toddler is being touched, held, and pulled in different directions nonstop for about three weeks. Some kids love all of the attention, while others can’t handle the stress.
The Antidote: Set boundaries and prepare your toddler. If you’re holding your daughter and your church friend says, “Give her to me for a minute,” don’t be afraid to say no, especially if you have a shy child. Before everyone arrives for the party, pull up pictures on your phone and remind your child who each person is. Remind her what present each brought to her birthday party earlier in the year, and she’ll be eager to see them all walk through the door.
How can you make things smoother for your toddler and Christmas activities this year?
