Routines and Organizing

• Keeping schedules as close as possible to normal helps reduce anxiety. Try to keep things like sleep, diet, and day to day routines as close to usual as possible.
• Using tools that work for you, create a plan for the season that includes important dates or traditions that are important to you and prioritize those.
• Put dates and tasks into your calendar or checklists.
• Consider asking a friend or buddy to run holiday errands, swap child care, or be an accountability buddy.
• If possible, create a separate area in your living environment for things like gift wrapping and storage.

Managing Expectations

• Don’t overload yourself with things to do. Decide ahead of time how much time you can spend doing holiday things and try to stick with it.
• Talk with your kids about the holiday season. Let them know what to expect, what routines might be impacted, and how they might feel. 
• It’s okay to set boundaries with your friends and family members with relation to gift giving, time spent, and behaviors that you will not be around.

Emotional Regulation

• Take breaks regularly – whether out shopping, spending time with the kids or family, or having fun at the company party, give yourself regular breaks
• Remember that we ADHD folks are prone to Rejection Sensitivity Disorder, and often – our brains are outright lying to us. Try to remind yourself of that and examine your feelings with that lens.
• Talk to your kids about feelings. Let them know how you are feeling and model emotional regulation. Talk with them about how to identify their feelings and collaborate with them to come up with solutions.
• Reach out for help if you need it!  To a therapist, a coach, a pastor, a friend, a family member, or a hotline. There is help if you are struggling.

Sensory Safe Spots

• Create places in your environment that soothe your senses. Away from overhead bright lights, loud noises, and clashing colors.
• When decorating your house or office for the holidays, keep your family’s sensory needs in mind. You may need to avoid flashing lights, too many decorations, or even certain smells.
• Help your kid create sensory safe spots. Include lighting, sound, and textures that are soothing to your child.
• Have sensory objects available. For you or your child – many times having a fidget type of item that has some type of texture can be helpful or soothing. A smooth stone, a fuzzy piece of blanket, or even those little texture strips you can buy and put on things all are helpful.

Self Care

• Try to find time every day to take a few moments for you. Take a few moments to breathe deeply or listen to music or take a hot shower. Or do an art project, take a walk, or watch a TV show. Some days it might only be 2 minutes – but find those two minutes.
• Find ways to ground yourself.
• Set and keep your boundaries. Try not to over-commit your time, your money or your energy.
• Practice mindfulness and gratitude. Without pushing toxic positivity, be mindful of the things in your life that bring you joy, or that you are grateful for. Show the kids how to practice mindfulness, and model what self care looks like.
• Take care of your core four (and your kids’ core four!)

🌻 Don’t Delay Joy 🌻

Kat Sweeney, MCLC