The holiday season can bring joy, excitement, and meaningful traditions—but it can also bring disrupted routines, sensory overwhelm, and lots of big feelings for kids. While adults often feel stretched thin this time of year, children are navigating changes they may not fully understand or have the skills to manage yet.
If your child seems more emotional, energetic, clingy, or dysregulated during the holidays, it’s not a sign that something is wrong—it’s a sign that they’re adjusting.
Why Holidays Are Hard for Kids
Even positive changes can be stressful for a developing nervous system. Common holiday challenges include:
Breaks in routine: School schedules shift, bedtime gets thrown off, and daily structure changes.
Sensory overload: Lights, crowds, noise, travel, and new environments can overwhelm sensitive systems.
Social demands: Relatives, gatherings, and expectations to interact can feel intimidating.
Big emotions: Excitement, disappointment, overstimulation, and fatigue all show up at once.
Separation or transitions: Going between caregivers or households can heighten anxiety.
Kids don’t always have the words to express what they feel—so they show it through behavior.
How to Help Kids Navigate Holiday Stress
1. Keep Routines Where You Can
Complete consistency may not be possible, but maintaining familiar anchors—mealtimes, bedtime rituals, breaks, quiet play—helps kids feel stable in the midst of change.
2. Prepare Kids for What to Expect
Walk them through upcoming events in simple, concrete language.For example:
“We’ll be at Grandma’s house for two hours.”
“There will be lots of people, but we can take breaks when you need to.”Predictability reduces anxiety.
3. Build in Plenty of Transitions
Children often need time to shift from one activity to another.Try:
5-minute warnings
Visual schedules
Gentle countdownsThis helps minimize meltdowns rooted in sudden change.
4. Give Them Permission to Have All Their Feelings
Excitement and overwhelm often show up together. Let kids know:“It’s okay to feel big feelings. I’m here with you.”Validating emotions helps de-escalate them.
5. Create Sensory Break Options
Kids may need time away from noise, people, and stimulation.Offer:
A quiet room
Noise-canceling headphones
A calming activity (drawing, reading, fidgets)Sensory breaks help regulate the nervous system.
6. Set Realistic Expectations for Behavior
Holidays are not the time for perfection. Kids are doing the best they can while navigating a busy, unpredictable season. Adjusting expectations can prevent unnecessary conflict or shame.
7. Use Connection as the Foundation
A few minutes of focused, calm connection—reading together, cuddling, talking, playing—can be incredibly grounding.Connection is regulation.
8. Offer Choices to Support Autonomy
Simple choices help kids feel more in control:
“Do you want to wear this outfit or that one?”
“Do you want to say hi with a wave or a hug?”When kids feel empowered, their stress often decreases.
Final Thoughts
Holiday transitions can bring out big feelings in even the most easygoing children. With patience, predictability, and intentional support, kids can move through the season feeling understood, safe, and connected.
If your child is struggling with emotional regulation, sensory overwhelm, or behavioral changes during the holidays—or if this season regularly brings stress to your family—therapy can offer guidance, tools, and a supportive space for both you and your child.
