One thing is for sure: This year’s holiday plans will look much different than in year’s past. Even without the safety precautions of an ongoing pandemic, this time of year can bring challenges to families who have children in therapy. The anticipation, excitement, and family gatherings can be fun, but they can also be hectic, different from our normal routines, and at times, simply overwhelming. Thank you to the members of the C.I.T.Y. of Support community who provided links to websites/resources/videos that can help us all better advocate for our children. By compiling all of this information in one Collaborative Blog Post, we hope to make it easier to access.
**Please note, C.I.T.Y. of Support does not endorse any of these specific resources or recommendations. Rather, we provide them to our members as helpful tools, as submitted by parents and professionals in our community.**
Handling the Holidays with Children with Special Needs
“This blog provides ideas of how to create some new traditions this holiday season and how to handle the emotions that may arise from the various changes. There is information about how to help your children through this time and ways to help them feel heard. The blog provides support for families who are unsure of how to survive the new holiday season with their children, especially children who have special needs.”
Anne Inwood, Parent and Therapist
www.successfulfamiliestogether.com/
Navigating the Holidays with Gratitude
“The holidays will look different for many families this year but we can steer through these challenges and build resilience by integrating gratitude into our lives. This series of blog entries focuses on how to use gratitude to navig
https://therapyworks.com/ate the holidays in unprecedented times.”
Hilary Davis, Parent and Marriage & Family Therapist
Holiday themed Movement and Mindfulness Classes
“As the weather gets colder and holiday stress creeps in, keeping kids active becomes more challenging. With themed yoga classes that utilize upbeat music and lots of imagination, Hop Along Yogi kids yoga classes offer a fun and engaging approach to movement and mindfulness.”
Laura Kowalski, Parent and Certified Kids Yoga Instructor
*Financial Disclosure that this resource is not free. It was suggested by and is affiliated with Hop Along Yogi.*
Take a brisk walk outside (without a device!)
“When the holidays come around and my to-do list keeps swirling in my head and I don’t know where to begin, I go outside for a brisk walk in the fresh air and not listen to anything but my surroundings. There’s so much noise around the holidays and I find that a quiet walk helps calm my mind so that when I return home, I have a renewed focus to get organized and start crossing things off my list. Try it and let me know if it works for you!”
Michelle Worth, Community Member and Co-Founder of TherapyWorks
No and Low-Cost Self-Care Resources for Busy Parents
“I am passionate about self-care for busy parents, and I have several free resources available, including yoga, meditation and breathing exercise videos on my Stand Up for Your Self-Care YouTube Channel and my Stand Up for Your Self-Care blog. I present free self-care programs at local libraries, bookstores and fitness centers, and I am interested in sharing self-care resources with the C.I.T.Y. of Support community.”
Julie M. Gentile, Parent, Yoga Instructor, and Author
