The holiday season can be a time of warmth and connection, but for many parents and caregivers of children and youth with mental health challenges, it can also bring extra stress, unpredictable emotions, and overwhelming expectations. Routines shift, emotions run high, and social gatherings can feel daunting. 

To support families during this busy time, we asked our incredible network of parents and caregivers with lived experience supporting a child or youth with mental health needs to share their top tips for keeping the joy at the centre of the holidays. Their ideas are rooted in real-life challenges and practical, compassionate strategies. 

1. Keep the Holidays Grounded in What Matters Most 

For families supporting a child or youth with mental health challenges, “holiday perfection” can create unnecessary pressure. Our parent and caregiver network reminds us to shift the focus toward connection, comfort, and meaning. 

• Center your relationships and not the expectations of a picture-perfect holiday. Try letting go of the idea that everything needs to be flawless. A quick 10-minute check-in, a shared snack, or sitting together for a moment can mean more than a full day of planned activities. 

• See the season through your child’s eyes. Ask what one thing would make the holidays feel special for them. Their answers might surprise you—often it’s something simple like baking cookies, enjoying a favourite movie, or going for a short walk to see holiday lights. 

• Create your celebrations together. Invite your child or youth to help plan the holidays by giving them simple choices, such as “one friend over or just us,” “open gifts slowly or all at once,” or “stay home or go out for a short outing.” As a family, pick 1–3 things that really matter to you and treat the rest as optional, so the holiday feels manageable and meaningful. 

• Look for and appreciate special moments, even the small ones. Starting a “tiny joy” tradition, taking photos of everyday moments, or naming something you enjoyed out loud (“I want to remember this”) helps anchor the season in connection rather than pressure. 

2. Create Calm & Supportive Spaces 

Children and youth with mental health challenges may become overwhelmed more quickly during seasons with increased noise, people, transitions, and social expectations. Building in time for calm isn’t just helpful—it’s protective. 

• Set up a dedicated calming space. Create a quiet corner, bedroom space, or small nook with headphones, a weighted blanket, fidgets, soft lighting, or familiar comfort objects. Find a space for this concept wherever you go and visit for the holidays; even if it’s at the bottom of a set of stairs or behind a piece of furniture, for example, and bring a few of the suggested items with you. 

• Create an on-the-go sensory kit with your child or youth. Work with them to select items that they identify as calming, like putty, a favourite snack, a book, noise-cancelling headphones, or a comfort item, so your child can regulate anywhere. 

• Prepare family and friends ahead of time. Let them know that your child may need to take breaks, avoid hugs, or step outside—and that it’s normal and supported.  

• Build in predictable downtime. Plan short breaks between activities so your child has space to regulate. A few quiet minutes can prevent overwhelm later. After larger or more stimulating events, try to keep the following day slower or quieter to allow time for everyone to recover. 

3. Support Routines & Regulation 

Routines help children and youth with mental health needs feel safe, anchored, and more emotionally regulated. Even small moments of predictability can have a big impact.

• Keep morning and bedtime routines as steady as possible. Familiar routines, like brushing teeth, reading a story, or dimming the lights, help your child stay grounded, even if the timing shifts because of holiday events. Familiar routines help your child feel grounded during a busy and unpredictable season.  

• Make a simple visual plan or schedule. A visual plan can help your child know what to expect and reduce anxiety around transitions. Highlight the parts they’re excited about and build in break times, so the day feels predictable and manageable. 

• Balance holiday treats with foods that support energy and mood. Have favourite protein-rich and healthy snacks available and plan ahead for meals to help avoid irritability or crashes. 

• Encourage simple movement. Go for walks, spend time outdoors, stretch together, dance in the kitchen—anything that helps release energy and tension.  

• Model emotional regulation and co-regulate when possible. Phrases like, “Let’s both take a deep breath,” or practicing a grounding exercise together help normalize coping strategies and show your child that emotional safety is a priority. 

4. Simplify & Prepare 

When parenting a child or youth with mental health challenges, simplifying holiday plans isn’t “doing less,” it’s supporting you and your child or youth’s capacity. Preparation can reduce the unknowns that fuel anxiety or dysregulation.

• Simplify plans where possible—less pressure, more connection. Choose fewer events, keep visits shorter, or approach gift-giving in ways that feel realistic and manageable. 

• Lower expectations for yourself and others; perfection is not the goal. A shorter visit, a different meal, or an alternative tradition still counts as meaningful. Your family’s version of the holidays is valid. 

• Practice conversations and scenarios. Talking plans through with your family so they are prepared. Let your child know what to expect: where you’re going, who will be there, how long you’ll stay, and what the plan is if things feel overwhelming. Practice responses to common questions and decide together how to signal when a break is needed. 

• Use fun, seasonal mindfulness tools to stay present and joyful. Mindful ornament-making, watching snowflakes fall, breathing with a snow globe, or spending quiet moments with soft lights can help everyone stay present and grounded.

Every family’s holiday season looks different, especially when supporting a child or youth with mental health challenges. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate; what matters most is creating moments of connection, safety, and joy that work for your family. 

Navigating the holidays while balancing big emotions, changing needs, and added pressures can be challenging, and you’re not alone in that. We hope these volunteer-sourced tips offer comfort, clarity, and practical ideas as you shape a holiday season that feels gentle, authentic, and manageable for your family.