12/11/2025
Kids feel holiday stress, too — they just express it differently.
Meltdowns, hyperactivity, clinginess, irritability, “not listening,” or shutting down are often signs of overstimulation, not misbehavior.
During the holidays, children navigate loud environments, disrupted routines, more transitions, later bedtimes, sugar, excitement, and social expectations — all with a nervous system that’s still developing.
They’re not giving you a hard time.
Their nervous system is having a hard time.
Supporting them doesn’t require perfection — it requires presence.
✨ keep predictable anchors
✨ offer quiet sensory breaks
✨ prepare them for transitions
✨ lower stimulation when possible
✨ co-regulate before you correct
✨ name what might be happening in their body
When you slow down with them, they borrow your calm.
When you connect before you redirect, their nervous system softens.
When you understand the “why” behind the behavior, everything shifts.
You are building emotional safety and resilience — one regulated moment at a time. 🤍✨
child nervous system, co-regulation parenting, sensory overload kids, trauma-informed parenting, holiday meltdowns, emotional regulation for children, child development, parenting tools, somatic parenting, child behavior support
