The pressure cooker of festive expectations

If the pressure to “make it magical” is starting to make you twitch, this one’s for you.December comes with a whole load of demands: Be joyful. Be organised. Be creative. Be calm. Be the memory-maker, the peacekeeper, the present-buyer, the magic-generator. And do it all while looking serene.Meanwhile, our children don’t actually need curated magic, fifteen kinds of biscuits, or a social-media-worthy moment every hour. They need us. The real, slightly wobbly, sometimes overwhelmed, sometimes joyful us.The build-up is intense for children too - excitement and overwhelm can build up and lead to meltdowns, clinginess or tempers; which are not signs of “bad behaviour” but simply signs that their emotional cup is full.So here’s the invitation for the week:Do less. Expect wobbles. Choose presence over performance.Because what makes this season meaningful is not what we produce, but who we are with our children while we’re in it.Thank you for pausing with me. Take care. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.com/subscribe