Are we having fun yet?

Christmas is just around the corner and sometimes it feels as though the beach toys and bathing suits were just put away as summer ended.

Christmas is magical but it also seems to bring a ton of things to do baking, shopping, decorating, and wrapping gifts!   And that does not include all of the day to day stuff required just to keep your family moving forward, yes someone (and it is probably you – Mum!) needs to make sure there is milk in refrigerator and the homework gets done on time!

First of all,  breathe,  secondly step back and remember you are supposed to be enjoying yourself!  Hectic as Christmas is, remember Christmas is magical when seen through the eyes of children.   Here are some ideas to keep you and your little ones happy and maintain your own sanity!

• Let the kids makes their own Christmas lists and tell them that Santa Klaus likes to see lots of drawings and decorations – the more elaborate and time-consuming the better!
• Bake a cake – from a mix!! Why not? Sometimes when kids want to cook, they really want to break an egg, stir the batter and lick the spoon.  Guess what? Mission accomplished!   The kids are happy and you spent time together but not cooking for hours and dirtying every dish in the kitchen.
• String cranberries and popcorn!
• Organize a gift swap, keep the prices low and the joke factor high.
• Buy some oranges and stuff them with cloves
• Check out what is happening at your local council or community center, they often have festive activities, playgroups etc
• Watch a classic Christmas movie – for grown-ups!  Yes Mum, this time you choose the holiday movie (Love Actually,  Eight Women, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, While You Were Sleeping)

And if all of those things don’t cheer you up?  Hire a Rockmybaby London babysitter and take a few hours for yourself!

Written by Ruth Maurandy