A Recipe for Gifted Holiday Cheer
Jennifer Allen, Ed.D.
The holidays are an excellent time to make lasting memories with your children. However, the excitement of the festive season and schedule changes can sometimes be challenging for children and their caregivers to manage. To make the most of this special time of the year, I’ve put together some tips on scheduling, travel, and social gatherings to help you best support your gifted or twice-exceptional (2e) children during this holiday season.
Scheduling
Most gifted children enjoy knowing what to expect when schedules change. Look for ways to include them in identifying and scheduling activities. While some non-negotiable items may be on the schedule, allow your children to provide input into the schedule and activities.
Consider using the time away from your routine to support your children in exploring special interest areas or trying something new. Make sure to spend some dedicated time together. Holidays are the perfect time for baking, decorating, making crafts, listening to special music, puzzles, or playing together. If your children are into art, visit an art museum or take a mural walk.
Many gifted kids love the intersection of technology, creativity, and movement. Geocaching - where you hide and find small treasures using GPS coordinates and clues - is a great parent-child activity that encourages problem-solving and uses creative thinking skills. This outdoor treasure hunt is a great way to build memories with your kids and have fun while being active together. Visit www.geocaching.com/play to learn more.
In addition to planning fun activities and memorable time together, ensure your children get the downtime and rest they need each day. This is especially important if you are coordinating plans with other family members or friends. Consider what your family needs first and let others in the group know that you will be scheduling some dedicated downtime for your family in between larger group activities and gatherings.
Keeping a similar bedtime and sleep routine is important, even if traveling. Debriefing the day and talking about what will happen tomorrow is a great way to end the evening and will help your children prepare for the day to come. Don’t forget to bring their favorite stuffy, book, or pillow.
Travel
If you are traveling during the holidays, talk with your children about where you are going. Many gifted kids enjoy looking at maps, planning routes, and learning about the geography, food, history, and culture of new places. If they have anxiety about traveling or change it may help to watch videos of the areas you will visit.
While you travel or when you anticipate extended periods of sitting, be mindful of your children’s need for movement. Thoughtfully build in movement activities throughout the day. A short break to stretch their legs or play at the park will help them settle more easily during a flight or car ride.
Be aware of your children’s needs and sensitivities when you are out and about. Sometimes, the combination of travel and different sensory inputs can feel overwhelming for gifted or 2e children. Consider bringing noise-canceling headphones, fidgets, music, audiobooks, favorite snacks, and comfort items. Don’t forget to have them keep taking their regular medications.
Social Gatherings
Seeing friends and family can be a real treat during the holidays. However, some introverted or 2e kids can feel overwhelmed with holiday gatherings and the pressure accompanying them. Big hugs and lots of attention from unfamiliar faces can cause some children to feel uncomfortable. Let relatives know it’s best to follow your 2e children’s lead for physical touch and personal space.
Understand that your children may only want to be social some of the time. Allow them opportunities to excuse themselves from the group to spend some time alone resting, reading, or watching a movie. This downtime can help them reset so they can socialize more later.
Give family or friends a heads-up about your child’s current interests, preferences, needs, and triggers so that they can prepare to help facilitate a smooth visit. If meals will be served later than your children are used to, don’t forget to bring some healthy snacks. With a bit of planning and including your children in the process, this winter break might be the best one yet.
Enjoy your wonderfully complex kids this holiday season, and best wishes for a happy new year!
Jennifer Allen, Ed.D. is the Head of School at Bridges Academy in Seattle, which specializes in supporting twice-exceptional learners. Jennifer has dedicated her career to meeting children’s individual needs and supporting families. She is also the proud parent of two twice-exceptional teens.
