The holidays are here and as much as we all need the break, there is often no break for us moms. We keep working round the clock. Whew! Don’t worry God’s grace is sufficient but we need a strategy or “method to the madness” as they say. The only way to avoid being stressed out and burnt out is to at least have a flexible plan. Remember, if you fail to plan, you have just planned to fail.
Here are a few tips to help:
- Give your kids room to explore and Play around the house – Children need space to explore and play. Thats why they are called “children”. They aren’t robots that stick to a place all day so please let’s make that allowance. Any attempt to keep the house prim and proper will lead to frustration! Let them be! Don’t expect the house to be tidy and neat all the time. If you’ve got space in your home, carve out a corner and let them know they have that particular space all to themselves. I personally don’t bother arranging my house till my son hits the bed at night. Yes it can be really messy but that’s the only way out! It saves both of us from being unnecessarily cranky. I simply have my own corner that is neat and always organised and nobody is allowed to go there.
- Stock up on Healthy Snacks – Get ready for “I’m hungry 20 times a day” or “Mummy can I have…”, Children tend to eat & snack a lot more when they are at home on holiday so our best bet is to stock up on healthy snacks, fruit Popsicles, (they are super easy to make. You can click here to get some other simple meal ideas), Fruits (Watermelon is always a win), Fried Fish, Boiled Eggs, Corn, carrots etc. I don’t mean a complete eradication of sweets and other juicy things. It’s the holiday so a bit of sugar is allowed instead I’m advocating for a 60/40 or 70/30 or even 80/20 plan depending on the ages and energy levels of your kids. A little sugar won’t hurt + let’s allow just a little of their excesses. We will go back to regular programming next month. Lol.
- Body Safety talk is important! – Holiday Season is usually the time predators attack. Let’s talk to our children about their body – Let’s reiterate the fact that there is something called private parts and it is called private for a reason- nobody is allowed to touch it. When speaking to them, please call those parts by by their real names, use age appropriate approach and let them know what to do If anyone tries to touch it – report to mummy or daddy immediately! I recommend Pastor Nomthi’s Book. Don’t Touch me There. If your kids are visiting people, have the body safety conversation with the adults and let them know where you stand. There is no shame in the game, the lives of our children are at stake. So speak up where necessary.
- Flexible is the name of the game! – Don’t throw routines completely out of the window. If you do, you’re going to have a tough time getting them back on track after the holiday. Instead, try a flexible routine that still flows with what you already had pre- Holiday. There should be – Bath time, Nap time, TV time, play outside time, etc – Routines with flexibility. For instance Wake Up time doesn’t have to be 6am anymore but Bathing as soon as they get out of bed could be strictly followed. Nap time can move from 12 Noon to 1:00pm and bed time from 7:00pm to 8:00pm etc. You get my drift?
- Only one thing is Needful– Choose One thing ! – Choose a theme and pick activities that flow in the line of the theme. Trying to participate in every Summer Camp, VBS, Games, Coding class etc will certainly not help. Ask yourself – What are the skills my kids need to have now? What do I want to in-still in them this season? What gaps did I notice during the school term and how can I help this child improve? Which books will appeal to their age levels? (If you need Christian Book recommendations, check here) Activities that match your child’s personality, energy level, age is the way to go. Let’s avoid doing things because that family is doing it or that child is attending. Let’s focus on what our children truly need. You can decide that through out the holiday – Daily Quiet time, Learning a scripture, Financial Skills and Adventure are your focus – then find activities that align. If you choose too many things, you might end up not doing any or you and the kids simply get frustrated. It’s best to choose one thing or a few things you know you can manage. I recommend the SSHF method – Spiritual Skills, Soft Skill, Hard Skill, Financial Intelligence. You can even take it further and add the E – Emotional Intelligence skills. Pick one activity that fits into each of these areas and your kids will be on their way to having a well rounded holiday!
Finally, please stock up on your Patience and endurance tank. Truth is children will be children. There will be endless bickering, fighting, noise level will be at an all time high etc. This is expected. Just prepare your mind ahead. Also, remember that this is an opportunity to build memories with your kids. Make sure they remember you as that mom that truly had fun with them not the cranky mom reeling out instructions that must be strictly followed all the time.
We hope you found these tips useful. Feel free to drop more ideas and tips in the comment section. Follow us @inlushmeadowkids for more tips, Books and resources to help you introduce God to your kids in a fun, colourful and exciting way!!