Holidays are stressful. Add a baby and visiting family members to the mix, and you might feel overwhelmed. 

And yet, holidays can be a joyous time for families too! Balancing the demands of family gatherings with your baby's needs can be challenging. One way to navigate this is by setting clear boundaries with family members and ensuring they understand your baby's developmental stage and needs.

Be on the Same Team With Your Partner

Before spending time with extended family, get on the same page with your partner. Discuss your expectations, thoughts, and concerns. Anticipating any issues that might arise will help you both handle it more smoothly in the moment. Knowing how you’ll handle those challenges will help you feel more comfortable and connected. 

Protect Your Baby’s Peace

More family members means more people who want to hold your baby. It’s great that they’re excited and that you’ll have extra help if you need it. It’s wonderful and heartwarming to introduce your new baby to family members. 

However, it’s important to keep in mind that small children may become overstimulated and overwhelmed by the presence of so many new people. Consider ways that you can mitigate your baby’s stress. 

• Put your baby in a front-carrier so they can feel close to you and others can look at them.
• Sit with your baby on the floor and invite other relatives to sit with you.
• Take breaks with your baby in another room if they become fussy or upset.

Additionally, you’ll want to keep a close eye on your baby to assess their temperament and reactions to extended family members. You can always take a break with your baby in another room, if they need some time to regulate. 

Accept that Routines May Be Disrupted

One of the biggest challenges of traveling with a baby during the holidays is maintaining their routine. While it's important to try to keep their schedule as consistent as possible, it's also essential to be flexible. Accepting that routines may be disrupted can help reduce stress and make the holiday period more enjoyable for everyone, whether you’re traveling to be with family or they’re coming to you.

Be Firm in Your Boundaries

Maintaining your family boundaries at gatherings may be a challenge. The reality is that most extended family members haven’t spent time with you in their own home, so they may not be familiar with your way of doing things. By communicating early and clearly about your family’s boundaries, you can set expectations for your extended family as well. 

Just because someone is a family member, or has children, or is older doesn't mean they have the right to overrule your decisions about your child. Have conversations ahead of time or when you first arrive about some of the areas that are off-limits for your baby, such as playing with certain objects or how they're looked after. Be firm in your boundaries and don't be afraid to say "no" if something doesn't feel right. Remember, you are the parent and you get the final say.

Keep Things Simple

Traveling with a baby can be overwhelming, especially if you're packing a lot of toys and activities. Instead, keep it simple. Pack only a selection of your baby's favorite toys and activities. This will help guide your relatives on what to play with your baby when they're with your baby.

Encourage Family to Spend Time with the Baby

By guiding relatives on play for your baby's age, you can help everyone feel more at-ease. You might find that some relatives feel more comfortable around older children, be child free, or never have spent time around a baby. They simply may not be used to playing with or being around a baby. 

Age-Appropriate Holiday Play for Babies

Send your relatives this blog post before you spend time together. Providing them with guidance helps keep things familiar for your baby and can also ease anxiety for relatives who may be unsure of how to interact with a young child. Here are some age-appropriate play ideas to share with your family.

Babies 0-3 Months

• Talk to them: Babies love to hear voices and see new faces. Talk to them softly and use a variety of tones.
• Sing songs: Singing lullabies and nursery rhymes can be soothing for babies.
• Read books: Read books with simple illustrations and short stories.
• Tummy time: Encourage tummy time to help strengthen your baby's neck and back muscles. Children under 3 months of age can start with two or three brief sessions (3-5 minutes each) daily. By around two months of age, pediatricians recommend aiming for 15 to 30 minutes of total tummy time per day.
• Massage: Gentle massage can help relax your baby and promote bonding.

Babies 3-6 Months

• Shake rattles: Babies love the sound of rattles. Shake them gently and let your baby explore them.
• Play peek-a-boo: Peek-a-boo is a classic game that babies love. Cover your face and then reveal it.
• Play with mirrors: Babies are fascinated by their reflections. Place a mirror in front of them and let them explore it.
• Roll a ball: Roll a ball back and forth to your baby.
• Play with scarves: Soft scarves can be a great sensory toy for babies. Let them explore the different textures and colors.

Babies 6-12 Months

• Play with blocks: Blocks are a great way for babies to develop their fine motor skills. Stack blocks and let the baby knock them down.
• Play with stuffed animals: Stuffed animals can be comforting for babies. Let them cuddle with their favorite toy.
• Encourage crawling: Encourage the baby to crawl by placing toys just out of reach.

It’s also a good idea to have Happy Little People™ Baby Activity Cards on hand, which can help relatives learn to play with your baby by suggesting fun activities that can be set up with household items. No special equipment needed! 

By setting boundaries, being flexible, and providing guidance, you can help ensure that the holidays are a positive and enjoyable experience for your family. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and create lasting memories.