Just like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, and Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation, generations of parents like you have strived to make the holidays magical for their kids. They often work tirelessly to see the sparkle of delight in the eyes of their children. The joy and magic of the holidays, however, is often lost on busy parents, who are overwhelmed with holiday shopping, decorating, school and church programs and dealing with the occasional meltdown from the kids.

Instead of feeling joyful, parents frequently feel anything but, as the stress and exhaustion of keeping up with the family's hectic schedule sets in. The good news is that there is a way to revive that holiday magic and keep the Christmas chaos from spoiling your family's holiday season. It all starts with recognizing that your kids will do better with a familiar routine and a comfortable pace and taking steps to make that happen. Here are some helpful tips for parents of tots, tweens and teens that can help ensure a more enjoyable and memorable holiday celebration for the entire family.

Sleep

Tots: Keep the regular nap schedule, as well as the same bed and wake-up times
Tweens: Keep the scheduled bedtime and if it's a short night, plan a daytime rest period
Teens: Encourage them to get some sleep

Meals

Tots: Keep mealtime and diet consistent
Tweens: Encourage healthy eating with some snacks and monitor the sweets consumption
Teens: Encourage moderation in meals, snacks and desserts

Behavior Management

Tots: Give lots of positive attention for good behavior and when problems arise, keep reactions neutral and use timeouts as needed
Tweens: Keep rules in place for appropriate behavior and discipline accordingly and remember that timeouts and access to things like video games, computers and cell phones can be effectively used anywhere
Teens: Be sure to set curfews and ask the usual (Who, What, Where and When) questions and follow up

Indulgence

Tots: Toddlers are happy with one or two gifts and often enjoy empty boxes and wrapping paper the most
Tweens: Stress the importance of being grateful, even if the gift is not exactly what they wanted and remember to keep things equitable between the kids as they will be paying attention to who got what
Teens: They will undoubtedly ask for the best, newest and often expensive gifts, so moderation should be your guide

Traditions

Tots: Begin teaching the family's valued traditions early and keep them simple
Tweens: Be sure to talk about what the holidays mean to your family and ask them for ideas for new traditions
Teens: Expect some resistance to family traditions and try to be both patient and flexible

Above all, remember that the holidays don't have to be perfect. It's about spending time with family and friends and making new memories, while celebrating the beloved family traditions. For more helpful parenting tips, follow us on social media or visit https://www.parenting.org/Pages/default.aspx .​