Five Tips for Happy Children and Happy Homes this Christmas

We all know how stressful Christmas can be with young children. But we also know how rewarding it can be to spend this special time of year with family. So how do you make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible? Top parenting author Lou Harvey-Zahra told us her top five tips for happy children and happy homes at Christmas.

• Slow down and breathe. Remember to slow down and appreciate your family connections during this festive time. Children live in the now so be present with your children, it is the greatest ‘present’ to give.
• The feeling of gratitude raises oxytocin (our happy hormone) by 25 percent. As an adult, write a Christmas list of five things you are grateful for this Christmas (see if children can join in too).
• Nurture the gift of ‘giving’. Make simple baked gifts and cards with children. Encourage older children to create a voucher card as a gift to a parent or loved one (I will wash your car, make you breakfast, give you a hand massage etc).
• The ‘Three Things Rule’ for the Christmas stocking is a good idea: a good book, a craft activity, a family game or game to encourage movement for children.
• Remember that there is no such thing as a perfect parent or a perfect Christmas day, there may still be trying moments with over-excited, over-stimulated young ones. My new book Creative Discipline, Connected Family: Transforming Tears, Tantrums and Troubles while Staying Close to your Children will be great in your parent stocking to help with this! Let go of perfection and go for connection!

Lou’s books, Happy Child, Happy Home and Creative Discipline, Connected Family are available now in paperback and ebook formats.