How can you spend a peaceful Christmas with your child?
Are you dreading Christmas? Are you paralysed at the mountain of things you have to do, turkeys to roast and cakes to bake? Not to mention cleaning, decorating your home... we're well aware of this – the pressure to put on the perfect Christmas event is huge... and completely unnecessary! Remember – you see a myriad of beautiful, idyllic pictures on social media, which increases the pressure you feel. And your frustration also continues to increase. Luckily, we know what to do! Here are some tips to help you focus on a warm family atmosphere, without any yelling, rushing or stress.
Christmas with your child – what's the magic trick?
Familiarising children with tradition is very important – it not only impacts how they perceive the world, but also teaches respect for other cultures and customs. Christmas looks different in every home, and different cultures and religions celebrate it in different ways. This time is the perfect moment to show your little one what your traditions are, as well as teach them about other customs that you don't necessarily follow in your home. Thanks to this, your youngster will absorb knowledge and learn about other cultures from a young age.
Children don't care about a clean home or perfectly cut gingerbread, but about delicious food, time spent together, and – of course – the presents. Remember to place more emphasis on the first two, and leave the presents "for dessert", as a side note.
Everyone associates cooking, singing carols and decorating the Christmas tree together with a warm atmosphere at home. But it's only us – the adults – who imagine a perfectly cleaned home, a fire in the fireplace and golden tableware on a perfectly decorated table. What children see is fun and love, and therefore a mess ;)
Simply let it go
A change in attitude is needed, otherwise you'll be constantly stressing and trying to prepare your home for the perfect Christmas. A perfect Christmas with children looks completely different to that presented in ads ;)
First of all, don't try making your home picture perfect. With young kids around, it's impossible to keep it completely spotless. Of course – clean your home, but try not to focus on cookie crumbs on the floor or toys on the sofa – this is normal, so don't fight it. If you love things neat and tidy, do some dusting, vacuum the floor, clean the kitchen and do some other routine cleaning. But remember – if you're doing it just because others expect it or you have lots of other things to do, let it go. Try to make Christmas about spending time together with loved ones.
Get the kids involved
The next step is to get your children involved in anything they're able to do. Not just cleaning, but also setting the table or helping you cook. Will you have a mess? Sure. Will it take longer to make cookies? Definitely. But you'll see that both you and your youngster will be much happier. And you'll be teaching extremely important skills, such as cooking and baking. In addition, you'll help build a bond between you, and most importantly, you'll be spending time together :) And that's what Christmas is all about!
It's best to get the kids involved from a young age. This is possible thanks to different features offered by manufacturers of children's accessories, such as, for example, the LASTREE high chair-bouncer. It allows even newborns to participate in Christmas preparations. This is possible thanks to the high bouncer function, in which your little one can see you, unlike classic rockers that sit on the ground. And you won't have to keep stopping your preparations due to your baby getting unsettled when they can't see you.
For older children, you can use the kitchen helper (not only at Christmas time!), or just the ENOCK high chair. They allow your child to reach the countertop and help you while being safe without the risk of falling.
How can you learn to let it go?
Unfortunately, by trial and error. A good idea is to not follow social media accounts that make you feel guilty. Of course, beautiful shots of homes ready for Christmas look great, but remember that they never look like that in reality. Try to focus on building a relationship with your child and family, educating your little one, singing carols together, playing and going for walks, instead of preparing a huge amount of food that you'll be eating for the rest of the week. A modest but peaceful Christmas will mean that everyone can relax, and relaxation is key to a healthy familial bond :)
