Hack The Holidays

With the Holidays rapidly approaching, it’s easy to start to panic as a parent! No matter the age of your kids, parenting around the holidays can be tricky. We’re busy with life, we want to make magical moments for our kids and family, we have to meet and navigate extended family expectations, we have to think through budgets and calendars, and…

It’s a lot.

We’ve gathered together our best parenting hacks for the holidays to help make yours a little bit brighter!

Schedule Now

The best piece of advice we have is that no matter what you plan on doing this holiday season, plan it now! Waiting to plan events, traditions, trips, and even shopping til the last minute is a recipe for stress. So whether you get the whole family together to plan out your holidays or sit down with your partner to do it, make sure you get your calendar made and checked twice now.

And remember when you’re scheduling to keep these two things in mind: 1. It’s not only okay but healthy to say no to some things. The holidays come every year, and it’s okay if something doesn’t fit in the schedule this year. And 2. Make time for yourself. Self-care is a year-round necessity, so make sure you include in your schedule some soul-soothing time to help keep yourself in good spirits!

Pack The Car

We don’t know about you, but it seems like we spend so much more time in the car during the holiday season. Whether it be traveling, shopping, events, or parties, we know car rides aren’t always the most pleasant experience as a parent. This is why now is a great time to pack up some seasonal necessities to keep with you on the road. A cozy blanket for each kid, snacks, water bottles, chargers for devices, a few toys, some extra cozy clothes… Keep it as simple as you need, but make a point to set yourself up for success by having the things you need on hand on hand when you need them!

Stock Up On Batteries

Okay, hear us out; why is it we never have batteries on hand when the holidays roll around? From decorations to toys to emergency equipment, the right size never seems to be on hand when we need it most! Now is the time to stock up on all the batteries. That way, you know you’ve got what you need, and they’re fresh and ready to go!

Tech Up Your Gifts

Utilizing technology to make gift giving is easier than ever. With Amazon Wishlists to apps like Giftul, there are so many ways to make easy-to-access lists of the gifts your loved ones want most. For the technology challenges in our lives (we’ve all got that Grandma!), consider emailing or texting photos of the gifts your kids want most. Another helpful tip: make separate gift lists for different family members. This eliminates the possibility of double gifting and allows you to keep other’s budgets in mind!

Clean It

There’s something about having a freshly deep-cleaned home right before the holidays that helps set our minds at ease. It’s worth it this time of year to set aside some designated time to deep clean certain areas in your home. Especially if you’re getting ready for guests. But the truth is, we’re all busy! This is why it might actually be both cost-effective and sanity-saving to hire a professional house cleaning service. Many offer different price points depending on what you’re looking for, and you can consider it a gift to yourself.

Backup The Babysitter

Finding childcare is often a nightmare, but during the holidays, it can be even worse. Everyone has plans and obligations that might make finding a last-minute babysitter a challenge. But you also have to consider that your reliable go-to babysitter might have some unexpected conflicts. From family obligations to travel chaos to sickness, the holidays can make the most predictable people unpredictable! Start asking around for recommendations for backup sitters now, so in the event of something going wrong, you’ve got backups for your backups. Plus, this time of year, there are often some really great folks looking to earn some extra cash watching your kiddos!

Stick to Deadlines & Budgets

The greatest gift you can give yourself is to make yourself a promise– and then keep it! When it comes to gift buying, give yourself both a budget and a deadline. Don’t go over that budget (it’s okay to give it a little wiggle room), and when that deadline hits, you’re done shopping! This means you can get your gift wrapping done early, your shopping done on time, and keep your finances in check so you can actually enjoy the season!

Cater or Delegate

We all dream of that perfect holiday meal where everything is homemade and comes to the table piping hot. And sure, you can stress yourself out making it happen. Or you can just… not. No one is stopping you! If this year is too busy, too crazy, too life-y, it’s okay to find an alternative solution. Cater your holiday meals, or better yet, have everyone joining bring one dish ready to go. No one will judge you, we promise. And imagine if you could sit down to a holiday meal and, you know, enjoy it? If you want to hear an even more scandalous suggestion, you can even use disposable tableware. We swear we’ll never tell!

The holidays can be stressful, but they don’t have to be! Do what you can to make the holidays your own, and take a deep breath. You got this!