Handling Holiday Overwhelm: Managing Expectations

The holidays are here!

Once Halloween arrives, it’s a blur of festive activity until January. It might be your favorite time of year or your most stressful season. Either way, we’re sharing how you can handle holiday overwhelm and manage expectations for the whole family this season.

Using the Moms on Call routines that you’ve already established with your infant or toddler, you can balance fun with flexibility to enjoy the season.

We get it - there is so much you want to share with your kids. It’s hard to top the feeling of watching them open presents on Christmas morning or light the candles on the Hanukkah menorah. But that feeling quickly fades when you try to get an overtired, sugared up flailing toddler to bed!

The key is balance. 

• Balancing the new and fun with the tried and true.
• Balancing the special treats with the healthy meals.
• Balancing the late nights with the early bedtimes.
• Balancing your Pinterest dreams with realistic holiday expectations.

Let’s aim for flexibility without abandoning the structure that has worked so well for normal days.

Flexibility during the holidays.

Here’s what that can look like!

Feeding Tips for the Holidays

1. Keep feed times intact as much as possible, even if you're on the go. Pack healthy snacks with fiber and protein so that you can feed your littles with nutrient rich foods. We love meals and snacks from Little Spoon which are easy to grab and go.

2. For evening events, give the bedtime feed wherever you are—don’t skip it.

3. Get a healthy base in your toddler’s belly before the treats. Have some mac’n’cheese at home before getting hot cocoa. Set out some veggies and hummus before friends come over. Help them get some healthy bites first since they won’t be as appealing after the treats appear!

Sleeping Tips for the Holidays

1. If you are out past nap time, let your little one nap wherever you are (stroller, car seat, etc.). Follow our naps on the go tips for more details.

2. If you arrive home with more than half of the nap time left, attempt to put them down in their crib to salvage the rest of the nap. If not, hang out and embrace flexibility without worry. They will sleep extremely well tonight!

3. Don’t forget your travel sound machine to make naps on the go smoother.

Planning for Holiday Events

1. Prioritize which events to attend: Say 'no' to some and 'yes' to others. Talk with your partner to decide which events mean the most to you both. Trying to attend everything is a recipe for disaster. By choosing what is most important, your family will actually enjoy those key events!

2. Plan for some downtime in between events. Stop by a park for some fresh air. Or take your infant home for a nap at home while your older kids go to the next events.

3. Be mindful of overbooking or too much stimulation for your little one. They are still growing and developing! We can’t expect them to manage a full adult schedule.

Evening Routine After Events

1. Once home from an event, wash their face, change into pajamas and offer a top-off feed if needed for babies.

2. Keep the routine simple and get them down for sleep as quickly as possible using our toddler sleep tips . Don’t be surprised if emotions are high. Try to move through the routine quickly to get to bedtime.

3. Start each day fresh. Even if last night was rough, today is a new day. Let any frustration go and warmly greet your baby or toddler each day. You can always reset..

The holidays are a time for celebration so give yourself and your little ones grace. Celebrate the moments that go well and know that you can return to the usual routine when the holidays are over.

Moms on Call is here to support you with resources and tips to make the holiday season more manageable and encouragement to enjoy the season and this stage!