Resources to Support Youth, Families & Providers During the Holiday Season
Tips on Holidays and Family Gatherings
This winter season we have invited our experts to join us in providing their best tips and resources for managing emotions and supporting families. Holidays and family gatherings can bring joy and laughter, but they can also bring added stress for youth and adults alike. We recognize systemic racism and a second winter of COVID add challenges and stress to the youth and families we serve. Each week during December, we are rolling out a new resource designed to support youth, families, and those working to address their needs. Check back each week or sign up to receive our winter 2021 emails here.
We wish you peace in 2022.
Addressing Housing and Homelessness ▾
When we think about the holidays we are often filled with happy, warm, and joyful memories of spending time with family, eating delicious food, and giving and receiving gifts both tangible and not. Unfortunately, for many youth and families this is not the case, especially for those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Holidays Housing and Homelessness Tips
For Caregivers & Parent Peer Support Partners ▾
For families who are parenting children, youth, and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, For mental health needs, a hectic and busy holiday season can increase levels of stress. Normal routines can become disrupted with seemingly endless gatherings and activities to attend. As the season progresses fatigue can set in, leading to increased meltdowns and escalating behaviors. Efforts to nurture emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual wellness can be improved through creating and maintaining balance between activities and downtime. Holiday For Caregivers & Parent Peer Support Partners .
For Parenting Infants & Young Children ▾
The holidays can be an exciting and magical time for young kids with presents, holiday activities and gatherings, family and friends. Sometimes we adults get so excited about making the holidays fun for kids that we overdo it and forget that what kids really need is consistency in their environment, routines, and relationships. Holidays Infants and Children Tips.
For Caregivers & Families of Youth in Foster Care ▾
Holidays can be extremely difficult for children and youth placed in foster care and for their families of origin. During the holidays, children and youth may feel sad or displaced, and may display increased behaviors because of not being in their own home or with their family of origin for the holidays. The following tips are designed to support youth in foster care. Foster Care Holiday Tips PDF.
Partnering with families in Wraparound & FOCUS ▾
The holidays, although intended to be a time to reflect, rejoice, and rejuvenate, are also considered by many to be one of the most stressful times of the year. This stress is often heightened for families experiencing complex mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs and are engaged in intermediate or intensive care coordination.
Things to Consider When Your LGBTQ+ Clients Plan to Attend Family Gatherings ▾
Holidays can be challenging times for LGBTQ+ folk. It is a time when families traditionally get together and engage in family and religious rituals. For LGBTQ+ folk whose families are not affirming, it may mean making a choice between being with your family of origin, being with a family of choice, or celebrating alone. This checklist contains some tips to navigate the holidays from some of our LGBTQ+ experts.
Download Things to Consider When Your LGBTQ+ Clients Plan to Attend Family Gatherings.
The Holiday Checklist for LGBTQ+ People ▾
Holidays can be challenging times for LGBTQ+ folk. It is a time when families traditionally get together and engage in family and religious rituals. For LGBTQ+ folk whose families are not affirming, it may mean making a choice between being with your family of origin, being with a family of choice, or celebrating alone. This checklist contains some tips to navigate the holidays from some of our LGBTQ+ experts.