The December holidays are magical – and exhausting. Between school breaks, endless snacks and sugar highs, disrupted routines and festive family get-togethers, it’s easy for parents to feel overwhelmed. But surviving the holidays with kids isn’t about perfection. It’s about lowering the pressure, creating simple systems and protecting your energy.
Here’s how to make it through the season with calm, connection and a little breathing space.
Drop the perfect holiday pressure
You do not need to recreate a film-worthy festive season. Children do not need matching outfits, Pinterest crafts or a packed activity schedule. What they remember most is how things felt, not how they looked. Focus on laughter, shared moments and simple traditions.
Keep a flexible routine
Even on holiday, a light routine helps because children thrive on predictability when everything else feels chaotic. You do not need a strict timetable, but keep a few anchor points: a calm morning routine, regular mealtimes and consistent bedtimes where possible. This reduces meltdowns and makes behaviour easier to manage.
Plan nothing days
You do not have to fill every day with outings, visitors and activities. Intentionally unstructured days let children play without pressure or plans. These are not lazy days; they support emotional regulation, creativity and real rest.
Create independent play stations
Set up easy, low-effort activity zones that children can use on their own. Colouring supplies, building toys, simple craft kits, books and puzzles are all good options. This buys you quiet time without relying on screens.
Use screens strategically
When you do use screens, keep it brief and intentional, for example, during cooking time, after a busy outing or when you need a short mental break. Survival mode is allowed. Balance matters more than perfection.
Let children help, even if it gets messy
Let them wrap, stir, sprinkle and decorate. It takes longer, but it builds connections and keeps them engaged. You are not just filling time; you are making memories.
Prioritise your own regulation
Children borrow your nervous system when they are overwhelmed. If you are running on empty, everything feels harder. Take breathers, step away for a minute when it is safe and ask for help when you need it. A regulated parent usually means calmer kids.
Accept that some days will be chaotic
Not every day will be magical. Some nights will be loud, some mornings will be hard, and some plans will fall apart. That is not failure, it is reality.
Focus on connection, not control
In the long run, your children will not remember if the house was messy or if supper was late. They will remember the cuddles, the laughter and the feeling of being safe and loved. That is what makes a holiday truly magical.
You do not have to master the holidays. You just have to survive them, gently, imperfectly and with love.
First published by Woman & Home
Compiled by Roshaan Patel
Also see: Fun activities to explore at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden this school holidays
