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Tips for Reducing Stress During the Holidays

by Evelyn Petersen

If you have young children and expect to maintain a perfectly clean house, perfect "Martha Stewart" decorations and meals, perfect gift choices and perfectly behaved children, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Having unrealistic expectations is a major cause of stress.

Look at your calendar and set REALISTIC goals for what you can accomplish each day in terms of what has to be done. Whatever does not get done on one day can go on another day's list; this is not a big deal.

Try to make easy meals or casseroles ahead to use on busy days, or cook enough for an easy "leftovers" meal. Have children and dad help out with meals and clean up.

Have your spouse help with errands and shopping, cleaning, or doing things with the kids.

Consider buying cookies at bake sales if you are short on time for baking at home. If you bake at home, everyone should help.

If company is coming, do it potluck style. It's easier, and gives everyone a chance to share recipes.

Get enough rest and exercise, even if you need to cat nap or do stretching out instead of a full workout. Have a few healthy snacks on hand in the refrigerator at all times; this will help reduce the temptation to eat cookies and candy.

Trade off some shopping time with a friend who also has young children. Then each of you can each shop without the children at least some of the time.

Keep your sense of humor. When you see some of the inevitable holiday problems as funny, it takes the edge off. For example...

The time it takes to find a parking place is inversely proportional to the time you spend shopping....
The other line always moves faster...

Interchangeable parts won't be.

Amnesia strikes all family members when the tape and scissors cannot be found.

Children have built in detection devices for finding gifts you have cleverly hidden.

Christmas trees seem to grow an average of one to two feet when you bring them indoors.

When your children grow up they will not remember your perfectly clean house and perfect decorations; they will remember the fun and love you shared together. Make your time count; don't let stress steal it.

Ms. Petersen's nationally syndicated parenting column is carried in over 200 newspapers twice each week. As a family/parenting consultant, early childhood educator, Head Start consultant, and host of a series of parent training audio and video tapes, Ms. Petersen employs an approach of providing hands-on, nuts and bolts advice to parents across the country. Her new book "A Practical Guide to Early Childhood Planning: The What Why and How of Lesson Plans" has just been released.

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