Parenting Toddlers

(If I were a cartoon character, I'd be Charlie Brown)

I remember Peanut’s first Christmas. She was only a few months old, and she was the only grandchild and niece on both sides of the family…so she got lots of presents. She had no idea what Christmas is, of course, and the gift-giving was fun for her at first. She got this crazy little dog to hang on her carseat. After that, though, she got way too overwhelmed. I’ve found that she’s like this a bit now - not so bad. But when she was one and two, she’d get overwhelmed and overstimulated at birthdays and the like. It can be very loud and chaotic, and the more presents they get, the more stressed they get. I found a good article on simplifying Christmas so your toddler will enjoy it. That means you will also have a better time - no cranky kids to deal with. Hopefully! Anyway, here are some suggestions:

Limit gift-giving. Toddlers like to open gifts and play with them. If they get too many, they get overloaded. They throw them all on the floor and end up playing with their dirty, nasty old stuffed dogs (yes, that has happened to me). Stacks and stacks of presents may be your picture of perfect, but fewer is better for keeping your toddler happy. I’ve also tried to limit the grandparents’ gifts - haven’t had much luck there, but I keep trying.

Focus on family. Little kids love the simple things - like spending time with us. They would rather play with a stick and a ball of yarn than the most expensive toy if you were playing with them. Let them help decorate the tree - Peanut can put on decorations (we don’t really have the nice, expensive, heirloom kind here!). Make little crafts. Bake cookies together. On Christmas, take the time to play with your toddler’s new toy(s). Emphasize being together and family. I keep telling Peanut about the family members we’ll be seeing and how I’m excited to see her aunts and uncles - it keeps the focus off presents, presents, presents, and spending, spending, spending!

Don’t stress!!! Christmas is supposed to be fun, right? I think so. If you have parties to host and people to house for the holiday, make sure to remain calm. Toddlers sense stress and respond by throwing huge tantrums! If you’re having a party, serve simple foods (dips and veggies, a pot of meatballs - big stuff that is easy to make), keep it low-key, and put the kids to bed at a reasonable hour! Just take it easy. You won’t ruin Christmas if you don’t have fifty varieties of appetizers. Have a pot luck, even.

Make lists. I am a list person. I get so stressed out sometimes. Having a list gives me some focus, and I like the sense of accomplishment I get when I can cross something off. In fact, I make lists that include stuff I’ve already done just so I can cross stuff off…why not give yourself a headstart? I have a list of gifts I am going to give, a list of what I need to make, a list of things I need to buy, a list of things to do to keep myself from going crazy. Organize it. That way you can just move down your list, see what you’ve accomplished. You can also prioritize: getting the laundry done may be a biggie today, but you can put off grocery shopping until tomorrow. This may help you get through the holidays, get everything done, and still be calm, cool, and collected…as much as is possible for parents of toddlers.