1) Lower the bar. I am not telling you to throw your expectations out of the window. Just expect some push back. The kids have probably been up later, eating more sugar, and lounging in PJ’s…and like their parents (ahem) it is not easy to drop those lovely and slovenly habits. So, don’t expect them to line up like good little soldiers. It ain’t happenin’.
2) Call a meeting. Call all pertinent members of the family to the table and have an AGE APPROPRIATE meeting about the future. This can involve reviewing calendars for the week or simply reviewing nighttime and morning routines. Not only does this help the children transition, it helps you, too! Say things like, “The holidays are special and this has been awesome! It is time to go to sleep and eat at our normal times…who would like to plan the menu with me?” You may get takers; you may not, but it moves the conversation to a positive and proactive place. It also re-introduces the kids to the boundaries that are already in place in your house. Get ready to hold them…
3) Parents, the children are only as stress-free as you are. Are you ready for the week? (As I type this, I am getting there…). Lunches, school-clothes, work related issues, play dates, after-school activities, school paper-work, dinners planned, breakfast foods at the ready (leftover cookies don’t count), YOUR clothes, the list can go on and on. The point is, wake up EARLY this week to avoid the rush. Have your own act together so you can have the strength to parent your children, as they drag about the house, moaning about video games, My Little Ponies, and Legos.
4) Cut yourself a break. I forgive myself, quite a bit, after a break. Everyone is rejiggering, and isn’t always pretty. If everyone gets to where they need to be, in a somewhat decent fashion, not terribly late, and fairly happy….SUCCESS! Just keep holding your boundaries in a clear, kind, and respectful manner and the kids will come around. Don’t spend time beating yourself up about your “spoiled and bratty” kids…they are taking their cues from you, so keep a smile in your eye and saying things like “I know it can be hard to start our routines again, but I have the confidence we can do it.” If I say it enough, I actually start to believe it!