The holiday season can create opportunities for joy and connection, but it can also bring additional stress for youth and families.
October through January brings several holidays, school breaks, shifts in routines, shorter days, and a significant seasonal shift. Changes in routine, family dynamics, financial pressures, grief, loneliness, sensory overload, and heightened expectations can all contribute to increased stress.
For youth already navigating mental health, behavioral, or emotional challenges, these seasonal pressures may make it harder to manage feelings, communicate needs, or use healthy coping strategies. Changes in behavior may be a sign that a youth is overwhelmed.
Here are 10 ways families can help youth navigate the season with greater comfort, stability, and understanding.
click on each topic to read a more detailed description.
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Many children and youth enter care during the holiday season due to increased family stress, financial challenges, or household crises such as lack of heat, food, or water. These stressors can result in an increased incidence of abuse or neglect. Substance use may also rise as families cope with added stressors and strong emotions that may be present. This means we typically see an increase in children and youth needing safe and temporary homes, and behavioral changes in those already in care. Preparing ahead for additional children or youth by buying extra household supplies and groceries, establishing flexible routines, and maintaining an open heart can help make these transitions easier.
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The holidays can put pressure on everyone. Additional responsibilities, financial concerns, family expectations, and busy schedules can leave adults feeling overwhelmed.
Pay attention to your own stress and make space for rest when possible. Youth often take cues from the adults around them, and a calm, grounded energy can provide an important sense of safety and stability when emotions run high.
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The holiday season can bring complicated emotions for youth who have experienced loss, family separation, changes at home, or challenging relationships. Even positive celebrations may remind them of people, places, or traditions they miss.
Give youth the support they need to experience those feelings. Make space for them to talk, cry, remember, or take a break when needed.
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Stress can affect behavior. Youth who are already experiencing behavioral health challenges may have a harder time managing emotions when routines change or expectations increase.
Try to look beneath the behavior and consider what they may be communicating. Is the environment too loud? Are they tired? Are they worried about an upcoming event? Are they feeling left out or overwhelmed?
Offer coping strategies, choices, breaks, and gentle redirection. When appropriate, create a quiet space where youth can step away from activities and regroup.
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Maintaining everyday routines can help youth feel secure, but flexibility matters too. Set realistic expectations and let youth know it’s okay to take a break or opt out of certain activities when appropriate.
Small adjustments, such as maintaining a regular bedtime, scheduling downtime, or limiting the number of activities in one day, can help reduce stress.
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Holiday celebrations can involve bright lights, loud music, crowded rooms, unfamiliar environments, strong smells, and lots of activity. For some youth, particularly those who experience anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or behavioral health challenges, this stimulation can become overwhelming.
Watch for signs that youth need a break. Consider quieter activities, shorter gatherings, headphones, calming spaces, or time outside the activity.
Creating opportunities for quiet can be just as important as creating opportunities for celebration.
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Youth are more likely to feel connected when they have a voice in how they spend the season. Invite them to help choose activities that are meaningful to them.
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For some youth, receiving gifts can bring excitement. For others, it may create anxiety, disappointment, or complicated feelings about money and family circumstances.
Keep expectations realistic and avoid making gifts the focus of the season. Thoughtful experiences, such as baking together, visiting a favorite place, playing a game, or having a movie night, can create meaningful memories without adding pressure.
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Families don’t have to navigate seasonal stress alone.
Reach out to trusted family members, friends, behavioral health professionals, school support, community organizations, or other members of a youth’s support team when additional help is needed.
If a youth is already receiving behavioral health services, continue those supports as consistently as possible during school breaks and holidays. Planning ahead can help prevent gaps in care and provide the needed additional support when routines change.
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The holidays don’t have to look a certain way to be meaningful.
Create simple opportunities for connection, a shared meal, a walk, a favorite movie, a game, baking together, or simply spending quiet time in the same room. Let youth help decide what feels enjoyable and manageable.
Most importantly, remind them that they are valued, supported, and not alone.
Final Thoughts
The holiday season can bring both joyful moments and difficult emotions. For youth experiencing challenging family circumstances or struggling with behavioral health, seasonal changes and increased holiday expectations may make it harder to manage stress, emotions, and behavior in a healthy way.
Families can make a meaningful difference by preparing for transitions, maintaining consistency, recognizing signs of distress, creating space for breaks, and approaching challenging behaviors with patience and compassion.
At NYAP, we understand that every youth and family has unique strengths, experiences, and needs. Through behavioral health services, family support, and community-held care, NYAP works alongside youth and families to build stability, strengthen healthy connections, and help those we serve move forward with confidence.