The holiday season can be described as “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many families—especially Brain Balance families navigating unique sensory and behavioral needs—it can also be challenging. Coming with extra noise, disrupted routines, unfamiliar environments, and heightened expectations can intensify stress for your child and yourself. This can cause feelings of joy to quickly turn to overwhelm.
The good news is that with mindful, proactive strategies, the holidays can become more manageable. By planning ahead, supporting nervous system regulation, and setting realistic holiday expectations, families can create holiday experiences that feel enjoyable for all those involved. Our simple tips can provide structure, help children stay regulated, and give families the confidence to approach the season with more ease and less pressure.
We all set unnecessary expectations when it comes to the holiday season which can lead to feelings of anxiety, stress and immense pressure.
Tip for Adults: Focus on what really matters, such as the meaningful traditions. Prioritize creating the memories, not the flawless outcomes and if things do not turn out sometimes they turn into the best memory.
Tip for Kids: Try to explain and help understand that the holidays are not about getting every toy. Use this time to encourage gratitude by sharing what each family member is thankful for. .
Research shows that keeping consistent routines such as regular sleep, meals, movement, and daily structure, supports better health and emotional balance. However, during the holidays these routines falter, often getting disrupted with late nights, skipped or unbalanced meals, and less physical activity. This can leave all parts of your family_your child and yourself—to feel more tired and stressed.
For Brain Balance families, these disruptions can be even more challenging. Children who rely on structured routines and sensory-motor activities to maintain a regulated system may find themselves struggling with the extra stimulation of the holidays. That’s why maintaining elements of our program is more important than ever at the holidays. Even short activities can help keep kids regulated, giving your family a stronger foundation throughout the season.
Tip for Adults: Try to keep to your regular schedule as much as possible. Use even 10 minutes a day to stretch or meditate to bring down stress.
Tip for Kids: Stick to familiar bedtimes, mealtimes, and keep up with at-home exercises. Keeping kids grounded when life gets hectic, helps decrease stress and helps kids to handle emotions.
Mindfulness is the practice of slowing down, paying attention to the present moment, and noticing what’s happening in our bodies, thoughts, and emotions without judgment. For the brain, this kind of awareness is powerful. It helps strengthen the systems responsible for focus, emotional regulation, and stress management, allowing the brain to shift out of constant fight or flight mode and into a calmer, more balanced state.
For children who struggle with big emotions, impulsivity, anxiety, or attention challenges, mindfulness supports brain health by improving self control, boosting mood, and increasing their ability to pause and respond rather than react. When kids learn to recognize how their bodies feel, including tension, overwhelm, excitement, or calm, they gain tools to better manage those sensations in everyday situations.
At Brain Balance, mindfulness is woven naturally into our program through sensory motor activities that help children tune into their bodies, regulate their emotions, and build greater self awareness. These practices do not require sitting still or meditating for long periods. Instead, they meet children where they are developmentally and help strengthen brain connections through movement and sensory engagement.
Incorporating mindfulness into daily family life, especially during the busy holiday season, can be especially helpful. When routines change, schedules fill up, and expectations run high, mindfulness gives kids a way to stay grounded and parents a way to create calmer, more intentional moments together. Over time, these small, consistent practices can transform the holidays, and everyday life, into experiences that feel more connected, regulated, and joyful for the whole family.
Tip for Adults: Take time to step outside for fresh air or take a moment to sit and breathe during the chaos. Reflect on the small joys, the smell of the tree or the freshly baked pies, or just the laughter at the dinner table.
Tip for Kids: Make an effort to create fun activities or try a “five senses” walk. For more festive moments, take time to have a family movie night in pajamas, bake cookies, or spend time reading quietly with family. Any of these activities can help relax your child’s nervous system and help regulate their emotions for the season.
The holidays can bring cheer for many, but for some it can stir up sadness, loneliness, or grief. If you are grieving, missing loved ones, or facing challenges, acknowledging these emotions does not diminish the season, it makes it more real and compassionate. Brain Balance emphasizes emotional awareness and regulation, helping all members of our families to recognize what they’re feeling and respond in healthy ways. By allowing space for the emotions, it offers your child the chance to strengthen emotional skills and approach the holidays with a greater understanding and connection.
Tip for Adults: Do not be afraid to acknowledge your feelings and give yourself permission to take breaks when it becomes emotional. For those who feel like they are homesick for the past, create new traditions or continue old ones that have sentimental value. Seek help from a trusted friend, counselor, or a close family member.
Tip for Kids: Encourage kids to express their emotions through talking, drawing or journaling. Let them know that it is okay to feel sad or tired sometimes. When parents show how they manage emotions in healthy ways, it teaches children to do the same, whether it is taking breaks, relaxation, or expressing feelings.
Remember that what you see online is often a highlight reel in this digital age, it is easy to fall into a comparison trap. Social media can make it seem like everyone else is having the perfect holiday party, giving and receiving extravagant gifts, and having a stress-free holiday, allowing for easy comparisons to be made. It’s important to understand that this doesn’t showcase the behind-the-scenes. Brain Balance encourages families to stay grounded and present by focusing on their own personal needs, rather than focusing on comparison with others. The program recognizes that every child and every family is unique, so what works for one household may not work for another. What matters most is honoring your family’s individual journey!
Tip for Adults & Teens: Limit screen time and focus on real-life connections. If you find yourself comparing, think of three things that you are thankful for in your own life. When you start to focus on gratitude you start to shift focus away from what is “missing”.
Tip for Kids: Encourage them to share their favorite memories or moments instead of what gifts they received. Remind them that it is okay if their holiday doesn’t look like what they see online.
If the tips and strategies in this newsletter are helping, that is a meaningful step forward. But if you find that you are layering in extra coping strategies at home and your child is still struggling to stay calm, maintain focus, or navigate social situations, it may be a sign that their brain needs deeper, more targeted support.
The Brain Balance program is designed to address the root systems that impact regulation, attention, and behavior, not just manage symptoms. Through a structured, brain-based approach that integrates sensory, motor, and cognitive activities, we help strengthen brain connections that support focus, emotional control, and confidence.
The holiday break can be an ideal time to get started. With fewer academic demands and a pause in the usual school-year pressures, children often have more capacity to engage in new routines and build momentum. Beginning the Brain Balance program now can help your child return to school feeling more regulated, focused, and prepared to make meaningful progress before the end of the school year.
If you are ready to move beyond coping and start creating lasting change, our team is here to support your family every step of the way. Learn more here.