A parent in my coaching community recently told me something that broke my heart.
"We finally had a breakthrough. Four, maybe five days in a row where my son didn't hit or bite anyone. I thought we'd turned a corner. Then my mom came to visit for the weekend, and it all fell apart. The hitting came back. The biting came back. I feel like we're back at square one."
She was exhausted. Defeated. Questioning everything she'd been working on.
That’s when I said, "You're not back at square one. Your son is stressed. And stress looks like regression."
Here's what most parents don't realize: The weeks leading up to major holidays are some of the most dysregulating times of the year for young children. Right now, with it being Thanksgiving week, their nervous systems are already responding to what's coming.
Even if you haven't decorated yet. Even if you haven't talked about Thanksgiving plans. They feel it.
They feel YOUR stress. They sense the shift in routine coming. They absorb the collective anticipation and chaos in the air.
Their behavior shows it.
Here's what you'll learn in this issue:
- Why regression happens right BEFORE the holidays (not just during them)
- The most common stress behaviors parents see in November and December
- The mistake that makes regression worse (hint: it's thinking you've "lost all your progress")
- Simple ways to support your child through holiday stress without adding more to your plate
- What to do when you feel like you're failing because your child's behavior has gotten worse
