The tension is rising...

Festive season brings extra challenges for PDAers

This month is A Lot, isn’t it?! Right now I’m thinking of everyone with younger children and remembering how stressful those days were… school plays, decorating houses, flashing lights, panto, going to see Santa in his Grotto, ice skating, carol singing, church services, Christmas jumper day, visiting friends and family, gift buying, gift wrapping, a special meal which you may or may not want to eat (or cook!), and snow (or just as bad, no snow. That caused huge issues in our house for a few years running).

I don’t think you need permission from me to sit down with a mince pie and a glass of something warming, but maybe this little nudge will help you remember to refill your own cup?! Excitement is carrying me through this month because our eldest daughter returns home in two weeks’ time - I haven’t seen her for four months so the reunion will no doubt involve tissues!

The latest post published on my blog ‘30 Unusual Gift Ideas’ might help when it comes to thinking of last minute gifts for children and teens who might be difficult to buy for. Indoor snowballs is my top tip for something that brings fun for all ages! Our PDAer has only asked for one small item this year and she doesn’t appreciate the kinds of gifts many other children her age would be happy with. So my brain has been working overtime and I’m pretty chuffed with the unusual gift I’ve ordered for her - but you’ll have to wait until Christmas day to see what that is! She knows already though, because surprises are often not welcomed…

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If home or school life is already feeling a bit (or a lot) wobblier this month, it can help to step back and think about why. All the extras I’ve mentioned above can bring a lot more stress and anxiety. I would recommend asking yourself ‘does it matter?’ and ‘is it really necessary?’ We learnt that trying to do too much often led to unhappiness for everyone.

My post ‘How to help a PDA Child at Christmas’ might help prompt some ideas of what could be done differently to make life calmer and more fun - especially if read along with my more general ‘Strategies for PDA’ post…

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I would normally include book reviews and recommendations in my newsletters but I think this month everyone has got enough else to do without me adding to your list! So I’m keeping it short and sweet this time. Hoping you all find a little bit of calm somewhere.

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Question Time

This week’s quick question is just for fun but I hope you’ll join in!

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please get in touch via stephstwogirls@gmail.com or reply to this email.