How To: Christmas Morning with a Toddler
As the parents of any infant or toddler can attest, one wrong move in the morning can result in hours of fuss, muss, and cranky kids, and although this isn’t ideal at the best of times, Christmas morning is surely one of the worst! But fear not, we’re here with our top tips and tricks for coming into Christmas morning prepared so that you don’t have to worry about a fussy baby and can enjoy the festive delights and time with your loved ones!
- Manage Your Expectations
It can be easy to get carried away with Christmas planning, but remember - the more you plan, the more room you have to be disappointed! Avoid your own stress by simplifying your planning, and remember that whatever you do, the importance is enjoying time with your loved ones! Don’t overstress your young child by expecting the unreasonable from them: let them wake up at their normal time, start with their feeding routines as per usual, and then slowly shift into Christmas mode once they’re alert and ready!
- Create Peaceful Pockets
Overstimulation over the holidays can be a real issue, especially for the youngest in the family. Wrapping paper, music, family members, excessive food - all this and more create a plethora of exciting experiences, but it’s easy for it to all get a bit too much! To avoid overstimulating toddlers and babies, look out for signs of over-excitement and remove your child (and yourself) from the chaos for pockets of tranquility every now and then. You don’t have to set up anything special, just find a quiet corner and take a little time-out to refresh before heading back into the mayhem!
- Remember Your Routines
Despite all the excitement that Christmas brings, toddlers and babies still thrive on structure! Avoid cranky or tired children by doing your best to maintain their daily routines - meals, snacks, naps and bedtimes - as best you can! Although some of these might get interrupted, don’t let one missed meal or nap throw off the routine entirely!
- Put Your Phone Down
It’s easy to get carried away snapping photos during special family moments, but in doing so you risk missing out on the experiences themselves! Try to stick to a few choice moments for your photography, and spend the rest of your time being present with your children - they’ll appreciate this so much in the long run!
- Give Minimally
Toddlers tend to get excited by the sheer dazzle of wrapping paper, but the joy of unwrapping is short-lived - and then comes the time to play with their new possessions, which can be overwhelming! Limiting gifts can be helpful, we suggest the Four Gift Rule: one they need, one they want, one to wear, and one to read - which leaves them plenty to enjoy over Christmas day! For inspiration for fun and useful gifts for babies, check out our Gifting range!