12-20-05

Helping Kids Get Through the Holidays

All the excitement and interruption of a child's routine during the holidays can bring added stress for children and sometimes cause behavioral problems.

The holidays are portrayed as a magical time of year, but stress and pressure from extra activities, shopping and high expectations can impact interactions between a parent and child. Glen Aylward, professor of pediatrics at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says in some cases, the holidays can cause behavior problems in children.

SOUND BITE: " . . . if you have a child who is anxious to begin with, he or she may become more anxious now. If the child was depressed, if the child was aggressive, whatever the underlying behavioral tendency would be, this behavioral tendency could be exaerbated or made worse by additional stresses of the holiday season."

Aylward encourages parents to make the holidays more fun and less stressful, which will make their child’s behaviors more acceptable. He says parents need to set realistic expectations about gifts for the child.

SOUND BITE: "Parents should not gauge their parenting in terms of material acquisitions that they provide for their child. There's a big push to get the toy of the year. And parents often have to deal with this because their child hears this on TV or from peers or sees advertisements, and then they feel that if they do not get this particular item the child is not going to have a happy holiday season . . ."

If a child’s behavior becomes more disruptive or doesn’t return to normal soon after the holidays, you may need to see your family doctor or a children's counselor.