November is here! That means Thanksgiving is upon us! The holidays (or any holiday)
always provide great opportunities for speech language and communication. The
holidays can also provide a lot of opportunities for stress and overwhelm. So, let’s talk
about a few ways you can increase communication and decrease stress in the holidays:

1. Set an intention for the holiday
   At the end of it- what do you want to happen at the end of the holiday season:
   more family time, do you need to rest? Do you want you and your kids to have a
   great experience such as a trip, or do you want your child to experience the kind
   of Christmas you had as a child? I find when I set an intention then some of the
   stuff I tend to do in the holidays -doesn’t seem quite so important. For example if
   my intention is to spend some quality time with family. Then I may readjust my
   shopping list and even the amount desserts that I make in order to spend time
   with family. I may even change my schedule (if my job lets me!) to take a fun trip
   or visit the park or have a movie day.
   
2. Involve your child in meal planning
   A great opportunity for communication is meal prepping and planning. Now if
   you are in charge of cooking the entire Thanksgiving meal-then it may feel
   stressful to have your little one help you with meal prep. But you can talk about
   the menu, or have your little one draw pictures of the dishes they want or the
   dishes you are cooking. Setting the table, making place cards are other activities
   that are great opportunities for little hands to help.
   
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
   No one expects you to do it all! So don’t be afraid to ask family members to bring
   dishes to the Thanksgiving celebration or ask your spouse or family member to
   watch the kids.
   
4. Don’t Compare
   If your child is not yet talking or has special abilities-it may be tempting to
   compare them with other cousins or family members that are your child’s age.
   Remember your child is special and has his own set of strengths. Plus every kid
   has some kind of challenge- it’s easy to think yours is the only one.
   
5. Have fun!
   As cliché as this sounds-time flies! This is the only holiday you will get that’s just
   like this one. So (even if family annoys you or you feel stressed) remember to
   take a moment to enjoy.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
From all of us at SpeechBuilders!