Post Thanksgiving, we’ve been fielding multiple emails and calls from Orchid Raisers worried about spikes in undesirable behavior, disrupted bedtimes, constipation, biting, hitting and general hard times. Are the holidays throwing your kids (and you) off balance? Check out the tips below to set your family up for success during this special time of the year.
Holidays survival guide for parents
While the lights, laughter, and festivities of the holidays may seem joyful, they can also disrupt your child’s nervous system, leading to meltdowns, heightened anxiety, or other behaviors that feel hard to manage. Let’s explore how common holiday elements can impact Orchid kiddos and how you can simplify your approach to help your child thrive.
• Travel and routine disruptions
Whether it’s a quick trip to Grandma’s or a cross-country flight, travel introduces new environments, unfamiliar schedules, and lots of waiting. For Orchid Kids who thrive on routine and predictability, this can feel overwhelming. They may struggle to adjust, which can result in sensory overload, irritability, or withdrawal.
• Differences in food during the holidays
Holiday meals often include foods and textures that may be unfamiliar or undesirable for picky eaters or kids with sensory sensitivities. Family gatherings may also bring pressure to “eat just a bite” or skip preferred snacks. Combined with irregular eating times and some extra sugar, this can lead to hunger-induced crankiness or battles at the table.
• Family, guests, and social expectations
Reuniting with relatives or hosting guests means lots of new faces, voices, and social expectations. Orchid Kids may struggle to navigate the unpredictable dynamics of group settings or feel drained by the constant activity. Well-meaning relatives may unintentionally add stress by expecting hugs, eye contact, or “good manners,” even when your Orchid child is overwhelmed.
• Late nights and disrupted sleep during the holidays
Holiday parties, travel delays, or attempts to pack more into your day can push bedtime later than usual. For children who rely on predictable sleep schedules to function well, even a slight change can wreak havoc. Sleep deprivation often increases irritability, impulsivity, and emotional outbursts, making it harder for your child to engage in holiday activities.
• Constipation and digestive issues
Travel, a shift in diet, and even dehydration from running around or missing regular water breaks can lead to digestive issues like constipation. Many Orchid Kids have digestive issues under normal circumstances, so travel and dietary changes can intensify some of those issues. For Orchid Kids, physical discomfort like this can amplify other challenges, creating a domino effect of distress.
Setting your child up for success during the holidays
Amid all the holiday chaos, it’s easy to get swept up in plans, decorations, and to-do lists. But your Orchid needs a foundation of basics—adequate sleep, regular meals and hydration, and familiar routines—to handle this busy season.
For the holidays, it’s important to get back to basics. Here’s how to simplify and focus on what matters:
- Prioritize Sleep. Keep bedtime as consistent as possible, even if it means leaving a party early.
- Hydration First. Offer water regularly and make it part of your daily routine.This seems like such a simple thing and yet it can be the difference between regularity and its undesirable opposite.
- Stick to Preferred Foods and try to minimize the sweets. Don’t stress about how much or what your child eats; prioritize their comfort to avoid power struggles. At the same time, explain to them how eating a lot of sugary foods and drinks can ramp their body and brain up and then make them feel sick later.
- Allow Downtime. Schedule quiet moments for sensory breaks or just to recharge. Identify spaces in wherever you’re staying that can be quiet, comforting places for when things feel overwhelming.
- Reframe Behaviors. Instead of focusing on “undesirable” behaviors, look for the underlying cause. Is your child tired? Overstimulated? Hungry? Their behavior is communication. Tell yourself that your child is having a hard time (as opposed to giving someone a hard time)
Grace for the season
Remember, the holidays are about connection, not perfection. If your child’s behavior isn’t what you hoped for, give yourself and your kiddo some grace. By going back to basics and meeting their needs with patience and understanding, you’re creating a foundation of trust and resilience that will outlast any seasonal chaos.
This holiday season, let your mantra be: “Back to basics.” Your Orchid Kid—and your whole family—will thank you for it.
Want to dive deeper? Our next Practical Strategies for Parents of Neuro-different Kids class session starts January 23! This 8-week online class will be an evening session from 8:30-9:30pm Eastern. If you have not taken the class yet and could use some support in raising your neurospicy (aka Orchid) child, check it out here and join us!