Helping Your Family Navigate Thanksgiving With More Ease and Connection

Thanksgiving often comes with mixed emotions for families. There’s the anticipation of good food and time together, but also the realities of disrupted routines, travel, new environments, and lots of people in one space. Kids feel all of this deeply, and parents often carry the pressure to “make the day go well.”

Instead of aiming for a picture-perfect holiday, consider what would help your family feel steady, connected, and supported, before, during, and after the day.

Here are some gentle ways to create a calmer, more connected Thanksgiving this year:

Before Thanksgiving: Set the Tone

1. Prepare your child with simple expectations

Kids do better when they know what’s coming. Keep it short:
“We’ll eat, then play with cousins. If it gets too loud, we can take a break together.”

Predictability lowers anxiety before the day even starts.

2. Build in downtime before you leave

If you’re traveling or hosting, give your family a slower morning, less rushing, more breathing space. A regulated start helps the rest of the day unfold more smoothly.

3. Let go of trying to please everyone

Your job isn’t to meet every expectation. It’s to take care of yourself and your child. Holding that truth early makes the day feel lighter.

During Thanksgiving: Choose Connection Over Perfection

4. Create a “reset spot

Whether you’re at home or elsewhere, find a quiet place your child can go if things get overwhelming. A soft corner, a separate room, even a spot outside.

Knowing a reset space exists helps everyone breathe easier.

5. Protect your child’s boundaries

It’s okay if they don’t want hugs, big gatherings, or food on their plate touching each other.

Support them with gentle language:
“They’re saying no thank you right now.”

6. Look for small moments to connect

Amid the noise, connection can be simple:

• sitting together for a few minutes
• stepping outside for fresh air
• noticing something funny

Connection doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.

After Thanksgiving: Repair + Reset

7. Check in with your child and yourself

Ask, “What was your favorite part?” and “What felt hard?”

Reflection helps kids make sense of big days and helps you understand what supports them best.

8. Ease back into routine gently

Holiday days often throw off sleep, eating, and energy levels. A soft reset, like earlier bedtime, extra hydration, and simple meals, helps your whole family recalibrate.

9. Celebrate the small victories

Notice what went well. Maybe your child handled a loud room better than last year. Maybe you paused before reacting. Maybe the day felt 5% easier.

Those small wins matter.

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be perfect to feel meaningful. When you focus on connection, presence, and realistic expectations, the day becomes gentler for everyone.

Today, tell someone in your life something you appreciate about them, then reply and share how it felt. Connection grows when we name it.