How to Help Your Child Anticipate Stressful Times (Holidays, Back-to-School & More)

Understanding Why Certain Seasons Feel Heavier for Kids

As a parent, you've probably noticed it: your child becomes restless before the start of a new school year, teary after visiting relatives during the holidays, or suddenly anxious around birthdays or family trips. Even if your child doesn’t always say it outright, these transitions—no matter how exciting—can bring on a surprising amount of stress.

Children between 6 and 12 are navigating increasing academic expectations, evolving peer relationships, and growing self-awareness. During seasonal shifts like the back-to-school transition or festive periods, their emotional load can tip into overwhelm. Unlike adults, they often lack the vocabulary or tools to say, "I feel stressed." So the feeling shows up in other ways—meltdowns, sleep issues, stomach aches, or resistance to routines.

One of the most powerful things you can do is not to wait for the stress to arrive, but to help your child anticipate and prepare for it.

Start with Conversations, Not Calendars

It's tempting to jump right into practical preparation—marking events on the calendar, setting reminders, and making lists together. But start by tuning in emotionally. Children thrive when they feel seen, heard, and safe.

In the weeks leading up to a big change, open small, low-pressure conversations. For example:

• "How are you feeling about school starting again?"
• "Do you remember what was fun last holiday? What was hard?"
• "Would it help to make a plan together?"

These check-ins aren’t about solving problems immediately but about modeling that emotional awareness matters. Active listening in these moments lets your child know they don’t need to hide their worries. You're a compassionate co-pilot—not just a scheduler.

Create Predictability in Times of Chaos

Most stress during holidays, school returns, and family events stems from unpredictability. You know what’s coming; they often don’t. Sharing a rough agenda can help ease their mind, especially if transitions (e.g., from home to grandparents’ house) tend to trigger emotional reactions.

Use visuals if your child is younger, but even older children may appreciate a written timeline or routine chart. Highlight what will stay the same—for instance, bedtime routines or their favorite breakfast—and what will change. Predictability is grounding.

Also, build in regular breaks. If your child tends to get overstimulated during family visits or excited gatherings, make time for decompression—quiet play, books, or even listening to calming stories.

Build Their Emotional Toolkit Before the Storm

In the calmer weeks before a transition, help your child fill their internal “coping toolbox.” These are strategies they can use before meltdowns happen. If you’re not sure where to start, this guide to creating an emotional toolbox is a great place.

For example, you might introduce grounding techniques like naming five things they can see, or teach them how to recognize a tight chest or clenching fists as signs of rising anxiety. The goal isn’t to avoid stress completely—that’s impossible—but to give your child confidence in managing it.

Acknowledge That Excitement and Anxiety Often Coexist

Anticipating a birthday party, starting a new grade, seeing cousins—they’re all experiences that can be fun and stressful at the same time. Let your child know that these mixed emotions are entirely normal.

Sometimes, children feel guilty about nervousness (“I should be happy about this”) or fear being seen as dramatic or ungrateful. Naming those feelings without judgment—"It makes sense that you're nervous, even if you're also excited"—can relieve that internal pressure and let your child feel safe in expressing the full range of their experience.

Offer Gentle, Comforting Routines—Including Audio Calm

In the face of heightened emotions, winding down becomes harder. During stressful periods like the holidays or school transitions, even bedtime can become a battleground. This is when calm routines become especially valuable. Dim the lights. Create quiet spaces. Spend a few extra minutes with your child—even just sitting together silently helps them feel anchored.

Calming audio stories can be a powerful part of this wind-down routine. The LISN Kids app, available on iOS and Android, offers original audiobooks and audio series designed for kids aged 3 to 12. From magical tales to soothing nighttime narratives, these stories can gently transition children from overstimulation to rest.

Using audio stories can also help develop self-soothing habits they can return to in future stressful times. For more ideas on using calming audio, check out our article on how audio stories can help kids wind down.

Know When to Seek Extra Support

Occasional stress is part of growing up. But if transitions are consistently met with intense emotions that don’t settle, or if your child expresses fears or worries that affect daily life, trust your instincts and consider reaching out for professional support. Here’s what to look out for in knowing when your child's anxiety may signal something more.

Finally, Be Gentle With Yourself Too

Parenting through these emotional waves is not easy. You’re likely carrying your own seasonal stress—managing work, planning events, staying up late to wrap gifts or label school supplies. Remember: calm is contagious, and so is overwhelm. Every step you take toward modeling emotional awareness, routine, and empathy is a win.

Your child doesn't need perfection. They need you—present, imperfect, and doing the best you can to walk beside them as they learn to weather their own seasons of life.