Parent Holiday Survival Guide

The holidays can be a stressful time for every parent. We want the decorations just so, the food perfectly cooked, the best gifts under the tree, and for each member of the family to be absolutely, perfectly happy. It’s so easy to get swept up in it all and by the time it’s over, we are grumpy, stressed to the max, and completely drained. And for what?

For just a second, I’d like you to think back to your childhood. What do you remember fondly? The best Christmas I remember involved only one gift- a stuffed Care Bear that I promptly left outside in the snow. The real gift was all of the love around me.

For this holiday season, I invite you to throw away your idea of the “perfect holiday.” Kids won’t remember the presents you buy or the perfectly wrapped boxes. What kids will remember are the moments. They will remember the time you made hot chocolate and watched Elf with them for the 15th time. They will remember getting to put icing on the holiday treats they made by your side. They will remember hand-crafting ornaments with you and hanging them on the tree. That’s the stuff that counts. So spend time with your loved ones, enjoy the moment, and put all those “shoulds” away until next year. Happy Holidays!

Lindsey Brady is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in play therapy, parenting support, and individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. She is passionate about helping others to overcome their challenges and live healthy, happy lives. Lindsey works with ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Women’s issues, Parenting, Relational Issues, and healing Trauma.