Supporting Executive Functions During the Holidays

Raise your hand if you love the holidays!

Many of us love this time of year and everything that comes with it. Even if we have kids that love the holidays, the truth is that the holidays are filled with lots of extra excitement, changes in routine, and different people.

If you have a child who has difficulty with executive functioning, all these changes in routine during the holidays can be hard to process.

Let’s have a refresh.

The Executive Functions include organization, task initiation, mental flexibility, attention, self-control, metacognition, working memory, time management, and perseverance. 

Want more info on executive functions? Read this post written by our very own Clinic Director, Michelle from earlier this year.

So. You have a child who has difficulty with executive functions. How can you help them during the holiday season? Read on!

Schedule Weekly Organization Time

Do this in whatever way works best for your child. Set up a designated time every week to write events on a calendar and talk about how they may differ from your normal routine. As we get close to the holidays, make a list of events by day, and talk about different places you may go or people you might see.

Use Countdowns

“Is it Thanksgiving yet?” (substitute your child’s favorite holiday here). Count down days with your child  by figuring out a system to help them track time. This may be crossing days of the calendar, keeping track of dates, or if you are like some of us, using an old fashioned paper chain to count down.

Prepare them for different routines

There are a lot of differences in routine that happen around the holidays. Kids are out of school, family members come into town, or we may eat at different times. Help prepare for this by talking to your child in the weeks leading up to the holidays about changes in routines. Write different schedules down or provide a visual schedule in an easy to see place – think the fridge, where your kids eat, or anywhere else that may work for your family!

Give extra time to organize before transitions

 We support this at any time of the year with kids who have difficulty with executive functioning. But especially around the holidays! Providing an extra 3 – 5 mn of transition time can be helpful in giving your child time and mental prep to stop doing what they are doing and do what you need them to do (get in the car, leave the house, finish an activity, begin meal times, etc.) Trust your gut here and adjust to your child’s needs!

We love the holidays but know it can be a stressful time for our kids who struggle with executive functions. Want more support in this area? Reach out to your therapist. We are here to help!