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5 Reasons to Keep Holiday Traditions Alive for Kids

Decorating cookies is a fun family holiday tradition
Decorating cookies is a fun family holiday tradition.

It’s no secret that kids thrive on traditions. Whether it’s the nightly bedtime routine or a family movie night on Fridays, kids crave predictability and stability. With that in mind, it’s just as important to keep the traditions alive during the holidays. Holidays are a time of year that many people love. However, children sometimes tend to be more excited about the holiday season than adults. This is because they get to experience all the traditions that they have learned and look forward to all year long. From pumpkin patches, yummy treats, delicious turkey, and an annual visit from Santa, there is always something new and exciting that gets kids excited for the holidays each year. Here are 5 reasons why it’s important to keep your child’s favorite holiday traditions alive.

1. Holiday Celebrations Promote Quality Family Bonding and Life-Lasting Memories

The holiday season can be a great time for quality family bonding time. It can create life-lasting memories. Whether it’s baking cookies, decorating the house, opening presents, visiting family, everyone wearing the same kind of PJ’s, watching holiday movies together, creating memories around the holidays is a great way to strengthen family ties. It’s important for kids to spend time with their loved ones and create those memories that can last.

2. Preserving Family Values

A tradition is any activity or ceremony that has been repeated over the years and passed on from one generation to another. They are important because they help to pass down family values and beliefs from one generation to the next. Traditions also allow children the opportunity to learn more about their heritage and culture. For example, if it’s a tradition in your family to make homemade applesauce around the holidays every year, you can teach your child about this time-honored tradition. This helps you make memories of your own together and allow the tradition to be passed on to the next generation.

3. Kids Need a Sense of Security in Their Lives

In a child’s world, the holidays can be one of the few constants in their lives. For example, the anticipation and excitement leading up to Christmas morning is an experience that never gets old for many kids. They still get excited about what they will find under the tree. Kids need a sense of security in their lives because, without it, they feel like everything is out of control. It affects how well they do at school and how easily distracted they are when you try to have a conversation with them. But this holiday season, you can keep your traditions alive and provide the sense of security kids need to thrive.

4. Holiday Traditions Can Promote Positive Mental Health

Everyone wearing the same PJ's can be a fun family tradition.
Everyone wearing the same PJ’s can be a fun family tradition.

The holidays are a time of year when many people enjoy revisiting their childhood traditions. The nostalgia that comes with these rituals can be emotionally beneficial for adults. It is especially important to keep the tradition alive for kids.

Keeping holiday traditions alive in childhood can promote positive mental health because it provides an emotional anchor during times of change and transitions. Children have less experience with life than adults do. Therefore, they rely on what they know from past experiences to make sense of new situations. The familiarity associated with these festive moments offers comfort and reassurance not only to children but also to parents. Holiday rituals provide structure for family members’ schedules and expectations around the holidays.

They can also provide a sense of belonging and family connection. The rituals associated with the holidays can be a way for children to express themselves. Children are often very creative. Holiday crafts, decorations, and foods can be a way for them to express themselves.

5. The Holidays Can Teach Kids the Importance of Generosity

The holidays are a time for giving and receiving. They offer many opportunities to practice this skill. Kids might put together shoeboxes of gifts. They can raise money for charity. They can learn the joy of giving to those who need it most. This experience can teach them the value of charity and altruism. Therefore, it can help them develop into well-rounded individuals and responsible global citizens in their future adult lives.

When it comes to preserving holiday traditions, it’s important to keep these five reasons in mind as motivation to keep traditions alive. Learn to experience the holidays through your child’s eyes. Here is a list of some fun ideas for holiday traditions.

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How Your Childhood Influences Your Parenting Style

What is your parenting style?
What is your parenting style?

Do you remember what it was like to be a child? You may think you have forgotten much of your childhood. You may believe you are making parenting decisions based on your own original ideas on how your children should be raised. However, everyone has been preparing for parenting without knowing it. The major childhood influences from your life growing up will affect your parenting style with your own kids.

What is Your Parenting Style?

Without a doubt, the way in which you were raised will influence how you choose to raise your children, whether or not it is intentional. You have your own values, morals, and opinions about how your children should be raised. But your upbringing could present some biases that are invisible to you. This may influence your parenting style.

Just as we all have our own unique history that shapes how we interact with people, the same is true for the life of parenting.

Expectations on Development and Milestones

Every child develops at a different rate and reaches milestones in their development when they are ready. Sometimes parents have certain expectations on what they think their child should be able to do at a certain age by a certain time based on their own personal development as a child.

For example, a parent might believe their child should be able to walk and talk by the same age they did. These milestones can easily become the barometer for how you judge your child’s development. They may not meet the milestones you expected. It’s important to recognize that each child is different. They will develop at their own rate. Removing this expectation can help you avoid disappointment and frustration for your child.

The Spectrum of Displaying Emotions

Children witness a varying display of emotions from their parents. This can differ from family to family.

For example, you may have been raised by parents who did not cry in front of their children. Now as a parent you do not cry in front of your child. However, the opposite might be true if your parents were very emotionally open with you and had no problem crying or expressing their feelings.

Another example, your parents may have argued or yelled at each other all the time. This was very sad and confusing for you to witness as a child. You decided you would never do this in front of your own kids one day. Now as a parent, you never argue in front of your kids and keep all your frustrations and anger inside. That isn’t healthy for you and your children think everything in your life is perfect when it isn’t. There needs to be a happy medium.

Emotional expression is a spectrum that goes from the extremes of no emotional expression to the other extreme of expressing all emotion and experiences. Everyone falls somewhere in between.

Personal Values Instilled From Your Childhood to Theirs

Every parent has their own set of values that they slowly instill in their children as they grow up. These values help to shape a child’s life and how they view the world.

For example, you may have grown up under parents who stressed the importance of a strong work ethic and saving money to reach financial goals. Because of this, your parents had you get a job when you turned 16. Then they had you open a savings account for college. If this was a positive experience for you, then you may do the same with your children. However, if this was a negative experience for you and you either found it difficult to find a job or if saving money for college was too hard, then you may avoid these same situations with your kids. Values are important to instill in your children. But it is also your job to make sure they are feasible for your child and their unique needs.

As you can see, your childhood and the way you were raised have a big impact on how you choose to parent your child. We are constantly shaping our children’s lives from our upbringing, whether we know it or not. By better understanding these connections and influences from our childhood, your parenting decisions can remove bias and develop a better understanding of their own personal values. Check out this article for more about 4 different parenting styles.

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9 Life Skills You Should Teach Your Kids

9 Life Skills You Should Teach Your Kids
Basic cooking is an easy life skill to teach Kids

As a parent, one of your top priorities is to provide your child with all the life skills they’ll need, so they can navigate their adult lives, even after they’re no longer under your care. 

On one hand, this seems like a relatively straightforward task. However, on the other hand, it can be one of the most overwhelming duties that a parent will face. First, it can be difficult to determine what “life skills” even are. What skills are going to be the most vital to your child in the future? What should you be focusing on, exactly, as you help your child to build these fundamental skills? 

Although the number of potential “life skills” is substantial, and they can vary from child to child, there are some skills that everyone can benefit from mastering. Here are nine of those key skills that are important to teach to just about any kid.

9 Important Life Skills to Teach Children (By Age)

Skills to Teach Preschoolers

Some of the skills you’ll focus on with preschoolers will be performed independently, however, others will require help or supervision from an adult. As your child grows up, they will be able to continue refining these skills, until they can confidently perform them on their own.

1. Cleaning Up

Allow your child to begin cleaning up after themselves, in certain situations. For instance, you can ask your kid to put away and organize their toys after they’re done playing. 

2. Choosing Clothes or Outfits

Make sure your child understands how to dress appropriately, given the event or weather. You can even allow them to set out their own outfits each night, to wear to school the next day.

3. Setting the Table

By helping your child to set the table, you’re giving them a great chance to practice numbers, counting, and even symmetry. It’s also an opportunity for your child to develop their procedural and spatial memorization abilities. 

Skills to Teach Young Kids, Age Five to Seven

At this age, try to take a step back and allow your child to problem-solve, whenever possible. It can be tempting to step in and lend a hand, but five to seven-year-olds can benefit from learning and practicing some tasks independently. Plus, kids around this age are always eager to perform “grown-up” tasks, and this will show in their willingness to learn and develop skills.

4. Simple Cleaning Duties

Although they’re not ready to clean the whole house top to bottom, you can begin introducing your child to some basic cleaning tasks. For instance, teach them how to wipe down the sink, or how to sort the trash from the recycling.

5. Basic Cooking Skills

You’ll probably need to supervise some, but try involving your child in food preparation. Find ways to allow your kid to take part in preparing their own meals, or help out with family mealtime, whenever possible. 

Skills to Teach Older Kids

Finally, here are some more independent or complicated skills, which you can help older children and tweens to develop.

6. Loading the Dishwasher

Kids at this age can help with both loading dirty dishes in the dishwasher, as well as unloading clean ones, and putting dishes away. Help children understand where the dishes belong once clean, and how to load the dirty ones for maximum effectiveness.

7. Gardening

Keeping a garden isn’t just a fun hobby — it can teach responsibility and can even provide fresh food! Teaching your children a love of gardening and some basic plant care tips can be an extremely important lifelong skill. 

8. Money Management

Budgeting and money management skills are absolutely necessary later on in life, and many people grow up without a basic knowledge of simple household finances. Start young and add in age-appropriate money basics so that your children are able to successfully budget and manage their own finances in adulthood.

9. Personal Hygiene

Sometimes, hygiene can seem so basic, you may not even think to teach your children some of these skills. However, it’s important to help your children understand these basics so they can keep themselves clean and better promote personal health. 

Of course, as your child grows up, you’ll find endless opportunities to teach them a variety of life skills (more ideas here). This is really one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of being a parent.

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5 Ways to Help a Highly Sensitive Child

Ways to Help a Child Who Is Highly Sensitive
Ways to Help a Child Who Is Highly Sensitive

It isn’t uncommon for young children to be sensitive and to respond intensely to certain emotional situations. After all, young children have yet to acquire experience with regulating their own emotions. So, if your five-year-old is upset, a tantrum is often the response. However, it is entirely possible for this sensitivity to exceed healthy levels. It may have a negative impact on your child’s emotional wellbeing. While some children are simply emotional, others are known as highly sensitive children. 

When a child is highly sensitive, their emotional responses or outbursts are generally more frequent than in children who aren’t highly sensitive. Highly sensitive children have an increased awareness of their surroundings. This hyper-awareness can sometimes take a toll on the child’s ability to remain calm and react in ways that are less immediate and emotional. 

Highly sensitive children experience their emotions on a deeper, more intense level, compared to many of their peers. On one hand, this increased level of empathy is a positive trait. However, being highly sensitive can take a toll on the child’s own wellbeing and even their ability to interact and form relationships with their peers. 

The Top 5 Ways to Help a Child Who Is Highly Sensitive

If you believe that your child is highly sensitive, you’re likely searching for ways to help them better manage their emotions, using means that won’t cause them any additional distress. Here are five of the most effective ways to begin helping your highly sensitive child.

Show the Child Empathy

As we’ve established, highly sensitive children are incredibly empathetic — this can be both positive and negative. Still, when your child is highly empathetic, it’s important to interact with them in a way that demonstrates empathy to them, in turn. 

For instance, maybe your child is throwing a tantrum. You feel unable to calm them down. In highly sensitive children it isn’t helpful to simply walk away, giving them time to relax. In fact, this can even leave the impression on your child that you aren’t accepting of them, and that you don’t care about their feelings.

Instead, speak warmly to the child. Allow them the chance to verbally express how they feel, giving them the opportunity to openly express their own emotions.

Avoid Becoming Defensive

Walking away isn’t the only negative response a parent can have to their highly sensitive child if that child is currently experiencing an outburst. As the parent, try your best to keep your own emotions in check. Don’t respond defensively to your child. Instead, put in the effort to validate your child’s feelings even if they contend with your own. Keep in mind that your child is an individual person and their feelings aren’t always going to be in agreement with your own in every situation. Simply put, it’s always best to think before you speak.

Help Your Child Feel Prepared

The truth is, highly sensitive children thrive on routine. If your child knows exactly what to expect in a given situation, they’re more likely to remain at ease. However, unexpected scenarios or events might cause a highly sensitive child to respond intensely. So help your child to ease into unfamiliar situations. Prepare them with responses whenever possible. For instance, prior to the first day of school, allow your child the chance to meet their teacher and get a look at the classroom. This will typically make the first day more manageable for them.

Create Safe Spaces and Avoid Overwhelming the Child

Remember that your child may need additional downtime to safely process their emotions. If your child needs some quiet alone time every day after school, then give them the space they need. Try not to force your child to invest large quantities of emotional energy all in a short span of time. Instead, give them safe spaces and time to work through their feelings if that’s what they want.

Use Gentle Discipline

As you discipline a highly emotional child, make sure that you’re taking their increased sensitivity into account. These children are more likely to be intensely self-critical. Therefore it’s important not to shame them or make them feel like a “bad kid.” Ensure that punishments are consistent and make sure to discipline them calmly whenever possible.

If you have a highly sensitive child, make sure to account for their unique awareness of their own emotions, as well as their increased empathy. Interacting with a highly sensitive child does take some added considerations. Here are a few books that may help. It’s possible to help them feel safe and accepted as you work together to process their emotions.

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The Best Children’s Books That Show Diversity

The Best Children's Books That Show Diversity
There are many titles to choose from in books that celebrate diversity.

Books are amazing because no matter where you are, they can take you anywhere. They offer perspectives and experiences that you might not normally get to experience in your lifetime. Having the ability to glimpse into someone else’s story can play a huge role in your ability to have an open and accepting mind and heart. Children’s books are no different. They offer a look into different lives and experiences in a way that creates the ability to have open discussions with your children about diversity.

Our country is multi-cultural. That means it’s vital to offer your kids the opportunity to see different realities outside of their own. Children’s books on diversity allow your young child the opportunity to understand important concepts early on. It is a great way to open the door for honest discussions on differences, privilege, respect, empathy, and more. When it comes to finding your child books that highlight and celebrate diversity, there are many amazing titles to choose from. These are just a few.

Children’s Books Celebrating Diversity

The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

This children’s book revolves around a little girl named Lena. Lena paints a self-portrait of herself using brown paint. On a later walk around her neighborhood, she notices the many different shades of brown found in her own neighborhood, and how we are all different and unique. This book is best for ages 4-8.

The Skin You Live in by Michael Tyler

This children’s book is not only beautifully illustrated, but it also packs an important message. It is a rhyming book that is ideal for reading aloud with your little one. This book reinforces the important message that the person within is what matters most. It is best for ages 4-6.

It’s Okay to be Different by Todd Parr

This funny children’s book is another great choice in highlighting the diversity of people you encounter each day, no matter how big or little that difference may be. It includes a wide variety of characters with different traits from braces, glasses, to wheelchairs and cultural differences. This book truly celebrates the different aspects that make us all unique. This is an excellent choice for ages 3-6.

Families, Families, Families by Suzanne Lang

Talk about an adorable book! This is a combination of families depicted as silly animals. It is a celebration of family, no matter in what form. This book highlights all forms of family, including adoption, stepsiblings, kids raised by grandparents, and so much more! The overall theme is that if you love one another, you’re family. This book is great from ages 3-7.

Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes collected by Elizabeth Hammill

Many of us fondly remember growing up with nursery rhymes. This collection is fantastic because it includes 150 rhymes from 23 different countries. It is also illustrated by 76 different artists. If you’re looking for diversity in your reading, this collection is a must-have. It demonstrates the similarities and differences in folk songs, stories, and rhymes across the globe and is ideal for ages 3-7.

When it comes to finding children’s books that celebrate diversity, there are numerous amazing choices. Understanding our complex world doesn’t have to be difficult, and the earlier the immersion into the mixing bowl we live in globally, the better. Your children will love learning to not only embrace what makes themselves unique but also embrace what makes others so unique and special as well.

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4 Bedtime Mistakes Parents Make

4 Bedtime Mistakes Parents Make
Too much excitement at bedtime makes it hard to get to sleep

Do you ever find yourself dreading your kid’s bedtime? You hope for a picture-perfect sequence where teeth are brushed, pajamas are put on, and they snuggle up ready to fall into dreamland. At times, you may instead experience whining, tantrums, and an overall power struggle to get even the simplest task done. When it comes to your kid’s bedtime, there are a few common mistakes that can greatly impact your ability to achieve the perfect bedtime you’ve been dreaming of. The good news is that these common mistakes are easy to fix!

1. Bedtime Snack Choices

For many households, bedtime snacks are a must. There is nothing wrong with a snack before bed, but there are two main things to keep an eye out for. One is the time. With any food, it should be enjoyed at least an hour before bed. Going to sleep on a full stomach can interrupt sleep, leading to a more restless night. The other thing to watch for is the level of sugar in the snack item. Caffeine is counterproductive when it comes to relaxing your child, and unsuspecting items can include a lot of unnecessary sugar. In general, you’ll want to avoid chocolate, soda, and tea. You’ll instead want to rely on food items that induce tryptophan, which helps initiate sleep. These foods include nuts, soybeans, meats, and dairy, as well as complex carbs.

2. Not Enough Sleep or Stimulation

It is important that kids are able to expel their energy throughout the day. While everyone enjoys a lazy day, this can impact your ability to peacefully get your kids’ bedtime consistent. This pent-up energy can begin to overflow when you truly want relaxation to happen. Not enough sleep can also factor into the success of your kid’s bedtime. In general, the earlier the bedtime, the easier it can be for your child to fall asleep. When your child is overtired, their body will naturally pump out adrenaline, making bedtime a hassle. Nighttime should be about relaxing. When it comes to homework and chores, make sure those are accomplished earlier in the day. This allows your evening to truly be focused on relaxation.

3. The Bedtime Battle

Some nights, it feels as though you must prepare for battle. Your kid’s bedtime should be a send-off, not a standoff. When it comes to a bedtime routine, you do want to be consistent and stay firm to your established rules. How you present your commitment to the routine can make all the difference. When trying to enforce, you may be faced with resistance that can lead to unwanted bedtime drama. While you want to stick to your boundaries, it also helps to allow your child to feel that they are responsible for their own actions. You want to present the situation in a way that they feel decision-making is still on their end. It can help to create a type of reward system. For each successful bedtime, they gain a star, sticker, or small token. In time, these successful achievements could lead to a special treat, such as a movie night or a trip to the zoo.

4. Irregular Routine

Routine truly is key for kids. It may feel easy to read one book one night, then three or four another night. Or maybe one night you allow them to stay up later, etc. While these may seem like small inconsistencies, they are enough to impact the overall success of your routine. It is important to keep things as consistent as possible. Same time of night, same activities, same order. This predictable sequence of events cues your child’s subconscious that it is time to relax and settle into bed.

Your kid’s bedtime doesn’t have to be a hassle! With a few changes, you’ll see that bedtime can be a calm and enjoyable event to end each night. Consistency is key, as well as creating a peaceful experience where your child feels they are making their own decisions. Watching what they eat, and the activities they participate in during the day also helps. It may take some planning and preparation, but once it is a natural routine, it will feel easy. A better night’s sleep leads to a healthier, happier kid who will be able to better perform at school and at home.

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