[18 mths+] Don’t forget to explain to your children what will be happening over the next few days and weeks!!!!! You might use a few strategies below:
– get out a calendar (or just draw boxes for each day) and draw what is happening each day
– there might be where you are going, who you will see, Santa/presents etc
– explain scenarios according to your child’s age. For the young ones it might be ‘Santa, presents tomorrow’, ‘we go in the car tonight, singing’. For the older ones you might be explaining other concepts about Christmas eg carols – what IS a ‘one-horse open sleigh’, Jesus Christ, tidings, bobtail etc!
– timing – for the little ones you might be talking in ‘tomorrows’ but otherwise a calendar with symbols or words helps as a visual aide for the older ones
– think about all the changes that are happening in their life – no daycare, parents off work, going on holiday. Are they wondering if life will ever go back to normal?
From having been an exchange student and not having a clue what I was doing from day to day, not understanding the language, I’m aware that our children no matter how young may be wondering but also not able to ask!
Heidi
