23. [Parent Corner] Parenting Tips for Surviving Winter Break Chaos

Chantal 0:02

preschoolers don't really come with a manual, do they? You want to spend your day helping them grow, and enjoying the magic of learning through the eyes of a preschooler. You also want to help them deal with all the big feelings that come with being three or four. But real talk, you don't have a lot of time. We need to prep for the day with confidence, and ditch the stress that sometimes comes along the way. I got you. Welcome to the preschool Made Easy podcast. I'm your host, Chantal, a kinder teacher turned curriculum designer, and preschool consultant, and I'm here to help you make this school year, the best one yet. Let's get to the show.

Winter Break is in full swing. And if you're like us, you might be experiencing a mix of excitement and well chaos. By the way, Merry Christmas to all of you that celebrate this season. We're so grateful for this amazing platform that allows us to hang out with you every single week, and talk all things preschool. But we're also very grateful for you. You inspire us to continue creating helpful content, fun and easy activities for your kiddos, and so much more. So thank you.

Welcome to another episode of our parent corner segment. In these episodes, I share my experiences and expertise as a teacher and parents to help you navigate this preschool journey. Today, we're diving headfirst into the whirlwind of emotions and adventures that come with having your preschooler at home during the winter break. We've got your back with some real talk about preschoolers emotions this season. What you're probably experiencing right now, and three quick parenting tips to avoid feeling stressed with your preschooler. Listen, I know firsthand how tough the holiday season can be for teachers and parents. And that's exactly why I created my preschool activity packs with you in mind. Because teachers I know you will love sending these home and parents. I know you love having simple and fun things to do with your littles to keep them busy and not having them tell you I'm bored 73 times during winter break, head over to the shownotes to grab the link and get started today. All right, let's get to it.

All month long. We've been talking about emotional well being and regulating those emotions when things get really tough. Now, from a parent's perspective, though, things change, right? Especially when we're talking about winter break when they're home. With us full time. Things can get a little crazy. Between the extracurricular activities like dance recitals, and championship games, the family events, the dinner parties, traveling vacations, and gift giving, it can definitely feel overwhelming, to say the least. But let me tell you, my friend, there's nothing like having your little one at home with you full time during the season when you're used to having them go to school.

Let me just clarify for a minute, okay, it's not that I'm ungrateful. On the contrary, I work so hard just like you to be able to provide for my family. So when I do get time to spend with my daughter at home, it really feels so special. But I've learned with time that it's okay to try to be present and spend time with your little one. And also feel overwhelmed by the presence. Let's just keep it real. Okay. They can be a bit exhausting, especially when you have so much to do. And all they want is just to spend time with you or have your attention 24/7 I mean, seriously, how many? Mom? Did you see that? Mama? Look, Mama, look at me's can we endure? All right, let's get back to why you're here.

Preschool emotional regulation can be a real challenge for parents, especially during the busy month of December. As the holiday season gets closer, our little ones are exposed to so many activities and decorations. And really just the excitement of celebrations everywhere. What does this lead to? Well, a range of emotions from anticipation to joy and overstimulation and maybe even some anxiety. As a parent, it's important to understand and support your child's emotional well being during this time. The change in routines, the increased exposure to new people, and the anticipation of a winter break from preschool can all contribute to some serious emotional ups and downs. We should be patient and empathetic and constantly offer a safe environment where our children can express their feelings independently.

Now let's talk about what you're probably experiencing right now. Winter Break can be both a joyful and a really hard time for parents of preschool children. Although it's an opportunity to spend quality time with your little ones, and create those beautiful memories together, it can also still be a time of pure chaos and stress at home. The abrupt break in the preschool routine often leaves parents scrambling to find activities to keep their super energetic preschoolers occupied, which is one of the reasons I created my preschool packs in the first place to give teachers and parents fun and easy to make educational activities and still maintain some structure during the holiday craziness. Trust me, it'll be a lifesaver when they're bouncing on the walls looking for something to do.

This break can also bring about a sense of unpredictability and chaos since parents are still navigating the Oh, so delicate balance between work and childcare. Juggling these responsibilities can be demanding, especially when both parents are working, or when other families members are involved in the whole child care situation. This constant need for attention from preschoolers during the winter break, can create stress for parents. And believe it or not, it's quite common for children to become bored, or frustrated when they're not in their usual school environment, which can then lead to more frequent tantrums, and the meltdowns, we know just all too well.

Parents may also find themselves dealing with increased sibling conflicts because naturally, the children are spending more time together. Further adding to the stress, the pressure to create holiday magic, attend gatherings and manage holiday related tasks can also really intensify the feeling of chaos during this time. Now, amid the chaos and stress, it's so important for parents to find moments, even if they're just small pockets of time for rest and self care. Now I know what you're thinking, girl, I don't have time to go and put on a face mask or chill with my you know, super fuzzy socks in the bed without my baby trying to get all up in my space. But that's not necessarily what I mean. Winter Break can be an opportunity to connect with your children on a deeper level, and embrace the joy of the holiday season. While the chaos is part of the experience. It doesn't necessarily have to be the biggest part. It's time to ditch the chaos and start bringing in more joy, am I right? It's also a time to cherish that togetherness and create lasting memories with your babies. I know we hear it all the time as parents enjoy the time now because you don't know how much longer you're going to have to spend with them and winter break before they get bored of you or don't want to spend time with you anymore. Or the constant reminders that our babies grow up way too fast. We can create a whole episode about that right? By balancing activities and allowing for some downtime, you can truly make the most of this time and navigate the inevitable chaos. With just a little bit of patience and some humor.

Well, since this episode is called parenting tips for surviving winter break chaos. I thought it would only be fitting to give you some tips to avoid the stress of having your preschooler at home during winter break. Here are three quick parenting tips for you.

Tip number one, create a flexible schedule while it's so tempting to go back every single day with activities from the top to the bottom. During winter break, you want to make sure that you have a flexible schedule and trust me on this one, okay? This allows for downtime and routine maintenance, which can also help your preschoolers regulate their emotions since they will know what's expected. Include a mix of structured activities, and free play, and maintain your usual meal and nap times. This is a super important point right here.

Tip number two, get your creative play on. Encourage your child's creativity by providing materials for arts and crafts, give them some building blocks, or give them a box from Amazon and encourage their simple imaginative play. Helping them do some creative activities helps children express their emotions and stimulates their cognitive development. It can also be a fun and productive way to spend some time together.

And tip number three, make outdoor play a priority. Make the most of your winter weather by spending time outdoors, whether it's building a snowman, or if you're in Miami, which is where I'm from, just go outside and enjoy a little bit of the cool weather right. You can also go for a winter hike or simply playing in the backyard. Fresh air and physical activity can help children manage their emotions and energy levels in ways we will not even imagine. Now dress appropriately for the weather because we definitely don't want these babies getting sick. And remember to have fun and be present with your child during outdoor playtime. By being mindful of your child's emotions, and implementing these strategies, you can definitely create a positive and enjoyable winter break for both you and your preschooler. Remember that a healthy balance of activities and downtime, along with your love support and understanding. It can create a huge difference in their emotional regulation during this busy time of year.

All right, let's recap. I gave you some real talk about your preschoolers emotions this season. We also talked about what you might be experiencing as a parent during this winter break. And then I gave you some three quick parenting tips to avoid feeling stressed with your preschooler. Don't forget to grab your preschool activity packs right now. So your littles can have something of fun to do while you're busy wrapping gifts or making that delicious dessert for your family dinner. Or maybe just sitting on your sofa. Enjoying your fav holiday drink, okay. And cheers to you. Head over to www dot shanty macias.com/shop That's C HANTYMA C. i A 's to get your hands on the best selling activities. Let me know which pack your littles are loving right now. Listen, friends, parents, give yourself some grace this season, my friend and remember you got this. I hope you and your family enjoy this time together and on behalf of the preschool Made Easy podcast team and team Chauncey Macias, we wish you a very happy and safe holiday season. I love you all. Thank you so much for hanging out with me today. I love creating content to support you on your preschool journey. So if you enjoyed this episode, reach out to me on Instagram, and let me know what resonated or any questions you may have. Let's keep the conversation going. So we can support more preschool teachers and parents, just like you see in the next episode.