When It All Gets Too Much, Remember The Littlies

Media Release

30 December 2002

When it all gets too much these holidays, remember the littlies

No matter how hard families plan the holiday season, things conspire, and the best of plans can alter. If this happens and it affects you, it will also have an effect on the littlies in your family.

Angela Baldwin, Plunket's general manager, clinical services, says it's easy to expect too much of young children and to feel embarrassed when their behaviour is not as good as you would wish it to be.

"Children react to situations. While holidays away from home are great fun, they are also tiring and stressful for young children.

"Very young children are driven by their immediate needs and have not yet learned to wait to have these needs met. They sometimes find it hard to share their parents with other people. They need sensitive and supportive handling when they have to cope with new faces and stimulating experiences.

"Older pre-schoolers can cope better with some frustrations and discomforts, but they will find it harder than normal to behave well in situations they are not familiar with," said Angela Baldwin.

Normal rest and meal-times are important. Tired children are more likely to have temper tantrums and these are always difficult to cope with but more so when there is an audience. It is still best to ignore this behaviour when it is possible, and avoid smacking.

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