When Your Girl is a Grinch
The air is getting colder, jingle bells are…jingling, and
everything’s supposed to be merry and bright…right? Well, this year
has been anything but normal and there's a decent chance your girl is
feeling a bit “grinchy” and hiding a scowl under her new mask. But
instead of letting your daughter’s mood put a damper on the holiday,
get to the bottom of the problem so her holiday (and yours!) can be a
whole lot happier.
The Problem: School Stress
Many schools schedule finals or big exams for right after
winter break, and your girl could feel torn between enjoying her time
off and prepping for these important tests. Prioritizing is hard!
Adding to that pressure for older girls, the final deadline for some
college applications is just around the corner. Plus, with lines
blurred between school life and home life, it can seem like there's no
release valve or safe-space for her to fully unwind.
The Fix: Make a Plan of Action
It’s tempting to ignore the clock and let loose over holiday
break, but when your girl has a big deadline coming up, it’s important
to build in time for her to study or complete a project. Help her map
out what she needs to accomplish by the time classes start back up
again, and then spread it out over the days she has off so she can
both celebrate the joys of the season and make sure she makes the
grade. Additionally, try to limit her school working to a certain area
of your home so that she can have a bit of separation between her
academic responsibilities and the rest of her life.
The Problem: Your Elf is Exhausted
This year has
been...a lot. Navigating a new reality and trying to keep spirits
bright at the same time can be flat-out exhausting.
The Fix: Bring Back Bedtime and Breakfast
Sticking to a fixed bedtime (or at least not straying too far
from it) will help your girl stay energized and more upbeat. And short
naps can help, too.. Admit it—you could use an extra hour or two of
sleep, too! Balance the random (and probably inevitable) sugar cookie
or candy treat by starting days off energizing with something healthy
and filling with whole grains and protein. Instant oatmeal or a piece
of toast with nut butter are quick to prepare, and can make all the
difference in her day.
The Problem: She’s Got the Gimmies
Focusing on gifts,
and who gets what and how much, can get out of hand around the
holidays. And with stores marketing “perfect gifts,” constant toy
commercials on TV, and catalogs shipped to your door almost non-stop,
even the sweetest of girls can get a greedy streak now and then or
feel jealous of someone who has more than she does.
The Fix: Give Priceless Presents
Take the focus away from material objects and help your girl
reconnect with the most valuable things we can gift to each other—our
time, our energy, and our thoughtfulness. Give her an opportunity to
give to others in your community by donating to a soup kitchen or food
bank, or paying a special, socially-distanced holiday visit to the
neighbor down the street whose partner passed away this year and might
want a bit of company. She’ll feel good about what she’s doing to help
others and will develop a new appreciation for all the riches she has
in her own life.
The Problem: The Magic is Missing
As your girl gets older, she might start to feel that Santa and
other holiday hallmarks are for little kids—and not so much for her.
The Fix: Give Her North Pole Power
Show her that the spirit of the season is for everyone by
getting her in on the action. Giving her new and important
responsibilities as a Santa’s helper—by decorating the house or even
wrapping gifts—will show her just how valuable she is to your family’s
holiday tradition. Want to take it a step further? Check out Operation
Santa, a program run by the U.S. Postal Service, in which everyday
people can help Santa fulfill the wishes of kids who might not have
much this season. You can read through children’s wishes together and
help gifts get to families who need them most.
