Holiday Tips for Surviving Kids' Visits

The Christmas season is upon us. Last Thanksgiving, anticipating a visit from grandchildren who live far away, we began looking for ways to keep energetic children happy and occupied. One grandchild, especially, delights in turning cartwheels in the middle of the living room at any given moment.

Granddaughter, the energetic one, arrived with her family after a car trip which lasted over twelve hours. We knew her mom would need immediate rest, and granddaughter, having slept through the night, would be ready to tackle the world…and her brother.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, here are some suggestions to keep your sanity and still be friends with your adult visitors.

• Have an activity for children to do as soon as they arrive. I had cookie dough ready to bake. Granddaughter helped roll the dough into little balls and dipped them in sugar before she placed them on a cookie sheet. It kept her quiet while her mom slept.

• Invest in some inexpensive paint-with-water books. If you don’t have small paint brushes, they can smear water over the pages with ear swabs. Our ever-creative granddaughter even glued tiny googly eyes on some that she painted.

• Depending on your grandchildren’s age, keep coloring books and crayons around.

• Make homemade play-dough. Your grandchildren can help add ingredients and knead it when it begins to cool. They can take it home in Cool Whip® containers and think of fond memories of doing things with Grandma.

• If the weather is nice enough, take them outside. Going for a walk sometimes gets the kinks out of little legs and makes them ready to settle down for a while.

• Read books aloud to them. Parents are often too hurried to engage in this valuable activity.

• Invest in puzzles which the children can help put together.

This list is only the beginning of a more peaceful, quiet Christmas. Children who visit can brighten your day. You can be happy to see them come or happy to see them go

Have any other tips for good times with your young relatives? Don't forget to comment below.