How to Survive Christmas Break

Practical Ideas for the School Break

Now, I know not all of you have kids in school but the holidays can be quite busy and often the normal routines get put to the side as the countdown to Christmas draws closer.

The structure can go out of the window and the kids (at least mine) go a little CRAZY any time that happens.

Now, we homeschool, but this still very much happens around my house during Christmas Break (or any other extended school break for that matter). I always think the school break will be fun and relaxing. That we'll all just hang out and it'll be wonderful...

Then three days in my kids are bickering, arguing, getting into trouble, and driving me up the wall!!!!!

Photo credit: The Fed Up Housewife

So, I wanted to share some practical ways I've found to make the Christmas Break more enjoyable and less crazy.

1. Keep the structure!

Just because school stops doesn't mean that every bit of structure should go with it. For us, we try to keep to the same basic morning schedule just minus the school work. Each child gets up, spends some time in the Bible by themselves, gets themselves dressed and fed (minus the baby of course who has help with that), and does a chore. Now, if you don't normally do chore maybe add in something that gives them some task that is short but productive (kids enjoy feeling useful and it helps with the bad attitude and bickering in our house).

2. Create a new tradition.

I mentioned in my previous blog (see HERE) that we've changed up how we do Christmas gifts with our kids. Instead of receiving them all of Christmas morning, they have one small gift per day of the Christmas Break, which gives them something to do each day. This is just one idea. You could also gather games, crafts, or projects and have one available for your kids each day to play with.

3. Put your kids to work.

Lol, this sounds so harsh but it's not. You can offer your kids paying jobs that they can earn some money during the holiday OR, if that's not appealing or your kids are younger, put your kids to work by making handcrafted art projects or crafts as Christmas gifts for the grandparents. One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Christmas' was a few years back with all Christmas Break long my girls and I made gift after gift! Play dough for the cousins, painted picture frames for the grandparents, clay ornaments with their fingerprints in it, sugar body scrubs from coconut oil and sugar, and baked goods. It seriously was SO MUCH FUN!

Picture frames painted by my kids for gifts.

Mamas, the holidays can be CRAZY and your kids can go a little crazy as well. Don't forget to take a deep breath, know your amazing, and do your best to enjoy this time!

Much love,

-Joy