Category Archives: holidays with young children

A Happy Halloween Indeed

Posted November 9, 2021

A Happy Halloween Indeed


By Sarah Kern

It has been over a year and a half since our lives were turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been over a year and a half since we had a “normal” school year. It has been over a year and a half since the children have been a regular part of our seniors’ lives — a year and a half without the joy and connection of our time with the residents.

A couple of weeks ago, we got a glimpse of the past, of what it used to be like, every day, with our seniors. The children of All Seasons celebrated Halloween by putting on a parade. Unlike last year, when the children only got to wave to seniors through their windows, we were able to go upstairs for the parades. One of the parades even included a trip into Memory Care.

As the children excitedly dressed for the Halloween parade, the teachers prepared them for what would happen. Leaving the school and riding in the elevator was a new experience for almost all of the children. Walking through the halls, staying together, following a teacher — these were rules the children needed to know. But none of us could have been prepared for what happened when we entered the Memory Care units.

There were the seniors, waiting in their chairs and on couches for the children. The looks in the seniors’ eyes and the joy on their faces was indescribable. Amidst the “oohs” and “aahs,” seniors reached out their hands and held open their arms for the children. And without prompting, the children fell into their arms. They gave handshakes and high fives. They shared the physical touch so many of us have been missing over the last 20 months. The seniors perhaps have missed it the most; so much of the touch they’ve received has been perfunctory as they received care from aides.

The teachers’ eyes filled with tears as we remembered the way it used to be and all that we have missed. It was a glimpse of the past, yes, and also a glimpse of the future, of the coming times when we will all be together again.

Holidays in the Schools?

Posted January 26, 2015

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by Amy Lemieux, Director

I have always been opposed to celebrating holidays in schools for many reasons. I attended an elementary school where about 20% of the students were Jewish, yet we did Secret Santas every year, Santa came to our classroom, and we sang Christmas songs. Despite throwing in one dreidel song, it always felt wrong, though I was too young to articulate why.
Once I became an elementary teacher, my aversion to holidays in the schools intensified. I saw the students who felt left out because it wasn’t “their” holiday, the ones who couldn’t afford to buy an elaborate Halloween costume or give everyone in the class a goody bag full of candy to go with a mass-produced valentine. I resented the chaos and poor behavior each holiday created and felt powerless to prevent it, as holidays were celebrated school-wide. As an educator who regularly noted how far behind U.S. students were and how large the racial achievement gap was, taking many hours or even full days away from learning to celebrate holidays felt unproductive and trivial. Happily, my school’s new principal felt like I did and as quickly as she could, she changed our school’s approach to the holidays.
Why, then, do we celebrate holidays at All Seasons?
Celebrating the holidays at Inver Glen and All Seasons has changed my attitude entirely because we do it so differently! Here, celebrating feels natural and authentic because it is; it happens within the context of a community. With each celebration, we are able to tell the children, “These are things the grandmas and grandpas did when they were little.” The children dye eggs with the grandmas and grandpas and then the seniors hide the eggs for the children to find. We sing old songs the seniors grew up singing – holiday songs and many others. Our Halloween parade has a real audience. Our Mardi Gras parade, complete with floats designed on tricycles and real zydeco instruments, is only complete because we are doing it for someone else and spread such joy up and down the hallways as we pass out beads. Next month we will spend several days hand-making old fashioned valentines for the grandmas and grandpas who live in the memory care units. The children will carefully and painstakingly write the names of the seniors on the valentines and deliver them in person. Celebrating the holidays here has been a source of genuine pride and joy for everyone.

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The Holidays: Family Memories or Family Stress?

Posted December 5, 2014

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by Jenny Kleppe, Autumn Room Teacher

A survey done by the American Psychological Association reported that more than eight out of ten Americans anticipate stress during the holiday season. Households with children were more likely to report experiencing stress during the holidays than those without. Families want their holidays to be happy, especially for children. Many parents do not realize that the holiday season is a time of hustle, bustle, and a never-ending whirlwind of stress for their children.

Where do these stressors come from? Results from the same survey indicated that for adults, increased costs around the holidays is a major stressor, but the biggest stressor is the pressure Americans feel around this time of year; pressure to buy “enough” gifts, serve the perfect meal, buy the right gifts, meet others’ expectations, and feel merry throughout the season. It does not help that we are bombarded with messages from the media that we have not done enough, i.e. “only X more shopping days!”

The vast majority of children’s stress at holiday time can be linked to one simple matter: their normal routine is disrupted. Bedtimes are pushed back, naps are forgone, meals and snack times are changed. Adults often forget that extended family can feel like strangers to young children and places like a great aunt’s house can feel foreign and intimidating. Children are often warned to be on “their best behavior” at relatives’ houses or religious services. Formal clothes are worn, which can be uncomfortable and not conducive to normal play. Playtime and regular family time is shortened as errands must be done, decorations must be hung and parties attended.

It is important to remember that children (and parents) need time to relax in order to enjoy this wonderful time of the year. Children are not at ease when they see their parents running around frantically shopping, baking, decorating and trying to meet unrealistic expectations.

Last Christmas, my husband and I drove ourselves crazy with how much we tried to cram in over the holidays.  We had a new baby girl we wanted to show off, as well as out-of-town relatives who all wanted to meet her.  We attended five family parties, two friends’ parties, hosted an event ourselves, appeared at an office party, volunteered at our church and attempted a trip for New Year’s.  We shifted our baby’s schedule to match all the commitments we’d made and had no time for our first family Christmas.  The results were not fun, relaxed, or merry.  Our five month old, who had previously been sleeping through the night, began waking every two hours.  We were sleep-deprived, ornery and stressed.  This year will be different.

Here at All Seasons, we teachers often remind each other that while we do many wonderful things, it is not necessary to do every wonderful thing every single day. This same idea can be applied to the holiday season. Instead of making an insurmountable list of holiday chores, do what’s most important. Try to stick as close as possible to your family’s routine, even if that means saying no to some of the festivities.
Here are some signs your child might be feeling holiday stress:
• Tears for seemingly minor reasons
• Nervous behaviours such as nail biting, nose picking, and hair twirling
• Physical complaints including headaches and stomach-aches
• Regression to younger behaviours: bedwetting, temper tantrums
• Withdrawal from school, friends and family

For families, gift giving AND receiving contributes to the unnecessary flurry and chaos. Gift giving does not need to be about quantity over quality. Many families have found success in this quality over quantity gift giving mantra: “Something I want, something I need, something to wear, something to read.”  Four gifts. Not fourteen. No outfits that will never be worn, not several “some assembly required” projects, not a pile of plastic toys that will be broken or cast aside as soon as the next thing comes along. Four special presents. Not only will this reduce stress for the entire family, this mantra can also be helpful to teach young children the importance of quality over quantity.

Simple ways to reduce stress for the entire family:
• Stick with routines as much as possible.
• Say no. You don’t have to accept every invitation to cookie swaps, parties and gift exchanges.
• Nutrition; everywhere you go, there are treats. Treats are “sometimes foods.”  Kids need the essential “every day foods”.
• Stay healthy. During the season of mingling, wash your hands and your children’s hands. Teach your child the importance of using tissues and covering coughs.
• Rest and relaxation; everyone, especially a child, needs time over the holiday season to rest and relax. A well-rested child will be much happier on a trip and better behaved for visits than one who is overtired.
• Favorite things; if you are traveling for the holidays, bring your child’s favorite blanket or stuffed animal. A bit of home will help your child feel more comfortable.

Do less to gain richer and more meaningful experiences with your children. This will help ensure that rather than creating holiday stress you’ll create cherished holiday memories.

*Source, U.S. Department of Health, 2012http://www.aahealth.org/programs/behav-hlth/adolescent/child-holiday-stress