The holiday season is complex. Add sensory kids (and/or parents!) to the equation, and it really gets exciting. The holidays are fullll of sensory rich experiences–lights, baked goods, jingle bells, noisy family gatherings. For some sensory kids, that means they’re getting the just right amount of stimulation and feel really happy and excited. For others it means possible weeks upon weeks of feeling dysregulated and frazzled. Which ever kind of kid (or adult) you are, the days post-holiday can leave everyone feeling a post holiday letdown. Why is that?
Many people who are highly sensitive tend to also like to have things “just so.” There’s a way that they envision things going, feeling and panning out and if/when they don’t go that way, the low/disappointment they feel can feel very low. In addition, the excitement of the holidays often brings loooots of dopamine to our brains. Think cookies, presents, games and friends. For many kids, that’s a recipe for a good time. So what happens the day after the holiday parties stop and there’s no more big, dopamine producing events to keep the party going? The crash.
They may feel/seem overall more moody, bummed and whiny. Obviously other factors that impact our nervous systems like the different meal schedules, lots more sugar and possibly interrupted bedtimes can also contribute, making the waters a bit more testy.
So what are some easy ideas of how to quell the impending let down/grouchiness? Here are 3 examples of simple activities you can use to help ease your child into more…uneventful days.
1. Make a “special” breakfast.
Remember. Kids like simple things in general. So don’t project your Pinterest expectations onto them. This can be frozen waffles, pancakes, cinnamon sugar toast. And none of those items have to be in the shape of anything but how they come. Keep it simple to keep it feasible!
2. Have a hot chocolate bar.
Whether homemade or from a packet, throw a few extra things in your cart during your Christmas preparations to have everything you need for a simple but delightful hot chocolate bar. Re-use the candy canes you got and pull out the sprinkles. A can of Redi-whip can go a looong way in curbing the post holiday letdown blues.
3. Go on a drive to see the Christmas lights in your neighborhood
Most people keep their lights up for a while, so you can definitely depend on finding some lights to admire in order to bring your child down slowly from their holiday high.
Remember to keep it simple! The idea is just to do a few simple, but intentional activities that are fun for your child in order to ease them from the pace of holiday craziness to more slow days.