Amongst all the festive joy and cheer that this time of year can bring, there are bound to be family conflicts at Christmas whether they are big or small.
While your child will be blissfully unaware of all the chaos that happens behind the scenes at Christmas, it can be a tricky time for us adults to navigate. Not everything will be a big family conflict, but there will be times over the festive period that will be a bit tricky.
We’ve compiled a guide of how to survive family conflicts at Christmas, from where you're having Christmas dinner this year to those overwhelmed-tantrums.
1. Where to spend Christmas
Once a baby comes into the picture, the whole family suddenly wants to book you in for a visit over the festive period. You only have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day to make every member of yours and your partner’s families happy, which is virtually impossible.
Solution 1: Firstly, remember that it is impossible to please everyone. Visiting one side of the family on Christmas Day and one side on Boxing Day is the most obvious solution, but it might be easier to host everyone at your house so you don't have to take your baby everywhere or your children away from their new toys.
Solution 2: You could also throw an open house on Christmas Eve for people to pop round to see you all before Christmas Day.
2. Unclear boundaries
Amongst all the excitement of Christmas, it can be easy for family members to get carried away and be excited about the magic. But what do you do when the grandparents take your little one to see Father Christmas without asking?
Solution: Before the festive period starts, it's important to set clear boundaries to family members about even the smallest of things, such as seeing Father Christmas or sneaking your little one chocolate. Be clear on what is and isn't okay and remind family members to always check in with you first before buying gifts you don't want, (such as slime etc) and filling your children up on festive treats you'd rather them not have.
3. Kitchen clashes
If you're not usually the host, it can be hard for people to let go of that responsibility at Christmas, and there's always family members keen to help out! It can be overwhelming being asked what needs doing every five-minutes, but there's some simple things you can do.
Solution 1: Delegate tasks to people. It doesn't have to be anything big, but if someone is asking to help, it could be good to set some tasks aside that can be done at any point, such as setting the table, making the gravy or even asking them to check in with who would like a drink!
Solution 2: Another option is to give some responsibility to those coming for Christmas dinner. If you're having different meats, you could ask someone to cook one of them and bring it on the day, or for someone to make the dessert and bring that.
4. The 'no' at naptime!
Prepare yourself, that normal baby routine and a Christmas Day schedule may not match, meaning your toddler’s ready for a nap at the same time that lunch is about to be served. And although he wouldn’t have eaten much anyway, you really wanted your baby to be in the photos.
Solution 1: Stick to your routine and let your little one just nap through dinner, as it will be a lot less stressful encouraging your tot to eat a dinner while they're tired. You can still save some dinner for later, and even let them enjoy it while you tuck into dessert!
Solution 2: While it might not work, you can plan your dinner around your little one's nap! You can start for a few days in the run-up to Christmas by just moving their midday nap earlier, so they wake just in time for their dinner.
Samantha Ball is a Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby, having written for the brand since 2018. She's a mum of two aged seven and three, and is currently expecting her third. She loves searching for the best and current trending products for little ones. She loves to bake, but spends most of her free time between football and ballet classes.