Feeling Good For Christmas
Feeling good for Christmas Looking after ourselves
Christmas is full of fun and excitement for the children and for us as adults but how do we look after ourselves as childcare workers over this season? Working in childcare is both rewarding and demanding. There is a lot of excitement, special activities, games and the build up to Santa. It is a fun time when we can put on funny hats and relax with the children, but it can also be exhausting and particularly strenuous.
The expectation is that we will be able to join in with the children’s magic at Christmas and enjoy ourselves with our friends and family, but how do we do this without becoming completely exhausted?
In work
It is really important to pace ourselves at this time of year and be realistic about what we want to achieve with the children. The first step is to decide when and how we are going to celebrate with the children, not starting too early in December! When planning with the team think about what you want to get out of the celebrations. Do you want them to get very excited, or do you want to keep them relatively calm and choose activities appropriate to the choice? Think about who is going to do what and what you need, so that you are not rushing at the last minute. Have everything ready to go so that you can also enjoy the tasks. Have a time frame for the activities and think about what you are going to do with the children afterwards when they are very lively.
When we pull together as a team it can be really helpful. Unfortunately it is also often the time of the year when we have staff absent due to colds or the flu. Thinking about how we will cope with such eventualities can help.
There are several things we can do with children to help them relax and keep calm. Some childcare workers start the day with simple relaxation and meditation. Children respond very well to this. One option is to play a CD of relaxing music, for example the sounds of the sea - soft gentle music. Ask the children to lie down and do a stretch, then tell them to listen to the sounds on the CD and imagine that they are on the beach. Ask them what do they see? What do they hear? What colour is the sea? Can they feel the sand between their toes? Give them time between each question.
When children are very excited, they will not want to lie down. It is better to start the day with this relaxation. After a very exciting event or activity children may be able to wind down by doing an activity like play doh where they are given something to do that involves manipulation and focus. We can also encourage them to relax by the tone of voice we use. By lowering our voice and talking slowly and patiently when they are still very lively, we can bring the level of excitement down. It is not always easy because we tend to respond to the children’s noise level. We need the support of all childcare workers to do this. It may take a few minutes but well worth a try!
If we are calm the children are more likely to be calm. We need to think about what we need in order to remain calm. This might be taking proper breaks, looking out for each other, taking turns to organise activities etc. It is also a good idea to plan activities so that there is not too much excitement in one day.
At home
Decide what you want for yourself this Christmas, is it to pamper yourself, make a special effort with your family, just have fun, to relax, spend time with the children? Whatever it is keep it in mind and each week ask yourself am I doing things that fit my overall plan for this Christmas, and if not find something that does fit.
It is not a good idea to do too much at the last minute. We find ourselves in the run up to Christmas going out every night and trying to finish the shopping. Make a list of what you need and set aside time to do it. Take one or two nights per week to do nothing, it might be necessary to turn down an invite! When you go out shopping don’t go hungry or tired. When you have done one hour go and have a coffee and sit down, relax and watch everyone else bustle about. Try to do the shopping on your own, if your have children, try to get someone else to mind them.
Meditation and relaxation exercises
Take a deep breath into the stomach through the nose to the count of four and hold for a second then let the breath out little by little, and when you think you have let all the air out try and let a little more out and relax the body.
Do a stretch of the body by reaching up as high as possible with your hands then relax and breathe out.
Sit somewhere with your two feet flat on the ground and your hands relaxed on the chair arms or on your knees. Make sure you will not be disturbed for 10 minutes and relax your body. Start with your feet and focus on each one in turn then move up your legs, your body, your arms, hands, neck, face and head. Focus on each part and relax.
When you have a quiet moment do a quick meditation – I see, I hear, I feel. First focus your vision onto something and notice something about it, colour, shade, patterns etc. Then switch and listen to the noises around, and focus on any sounds you hear, then switch again - focus on something about your body, the feel/texture of fabric of your jumper, on your hands or feel of your foot in the shoe, or just move a part of the body and see how it feels. This meditation is about staying in the moment. The more we can do this the less stressed we get.
Enjoy the festive season with the children and happy Christmas!
Written by
Ireland's leading Early Years education Magazine
