Flexibility Over Winter Break
As we move into the holiday season, routines shift, schedules loosen, and many of our children suddenly have longer stretches of unstructured time at home. For some of us this is a welcome breather; for others, it’s when Executive Functioning challenges like planning, emotional regulation, flexibility, and problem-solving become a little more noticeable.
We know that everyday mistakes can be powerful teaching moments, and winter break is a wonderful time to revisit these ideas: not to create extra work during an already full season, but because small, intentional moments at home can make a big difference in the development of independence and resilience.
Here’s a quick refresher on three simple strategies:
Let mistakes happen.
Our instinct is to jump in, especially when we’re trying to keep things moving smoothly. But giving kids space to make (and learn from) small mistakes helps strengthen their planning, problem-solving, and reflection skills.
Treat mistakes as problems to solve.
Instead of focusing on what went wrong, guide your child to think through what they can try next. Questions like “What’s one thing you can do now?” or “How might you fix this?” can help build flexible thinking.
Celebrate the process, not just the outcome.
Acknowledge your child’s effort, their persistence, and their willingness to try again. These moments reinforce emotional regulations and resilience far more than a focus on getting things “right”.
These tools are easy to weave into daily life during holiday baking mishaps, sibling squabbles, forgotten chores, or long winter afternoons together at home.
And, here’s a link to a short video on navigating the holiday season with intentionality. If you’re planning your break or simply hoping to bring a little more calm into the next few weeks, I hope it’s helpful.
Wishing you a joyful, connected season and the confidence that you’re already doing so much to support your child as they grow the executive functioning skills they’ll carry into the new year.