Terry’s Top 10 List of Survival Tips for the Holidays

I am getting a ton of ADD related newsletters, telling me how to survive the holidays. They all have great suggestions, too. Like starting a to-do list. Prioritizing. Remembering the real reason behind the holidays. Delegating chores. Hiring someone to clean the house. Etc etc. 
 
But I’m tired of reading the same ol’ same ol’. So today, I’m sharing my list of what NOT to do to prepare for the holidays if you have ADHD: 
 
10. Don’t buy a single can of pumpkin filling, olives or bread crumbs until you check your pantry to see if there’s one, two or even 10 cans lurking behind the cereal. Trust me, you probably have some hiding in the back, somewhere. 
 
9. Do not wear white. Whoever came up with the term “winter white” should be shot. Everyone knows that if you wear white during the holidays, you WILL get cranberry sauce, ketchup and wine on it. No brainer. Even more important, do not let your kids wear anything other than blue or black between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. 
 
8. Do not put up holiday lights; more than likely, they’re already still up from last year. I can spot an ADD household a mile away. They simply unplug the lights and forget (?) to put them away. Go ahead, plug yours in. Great- you’re all set. End of story. 
 
7. Do not wait till the day before Christmas or Chanukah to buy gifts. Stop what you’re doing right this minute and order your gifts online- all of them. As a matter of fact, check your email; today I sent out a newsletter with all the presents you’ll need- they’re all hand-picked, just for you. This alone will save you 15 hours of work. Now you can do all of your holiday shopping in 20 minutes. Really! You don’t get my newsletter? Sign up today on my homepage! 
 
6. Do not have the traditional dinner. Are those sweat stains I see on your blouse? Let me help relieve your anxieties about your traditional holiday dinner: Who says you have to have a huge nerve wracking gathering at your home? Choose between A and B: 
 
A. Have only the immediate family over. That way you can get away with store bought chicken and sides or even carryout. Yes, I am letting you off the hook. Blame me, I can take it. Still feeling badly? Invite the gang AFTER dinner, for dessert. 
 
B. Make reservations for dinner OUT. Huh? You’re feeling guilty? Why do you always let other people’s feelings be more important than yours? Go for it. 
 
5. If you DO decide to host the dinner, do NOT invite Aunt Sadie and Uncle Jack. You know they don’t tolerate your hyperactive kids, unruly dog, cluttered house and chaos. Instead, invite friends and relatives who celebrate your unique family and home. 
 
4. Do not stress over a messy house. I realize not everyone can afford a cleaning crew to help you get your house in tip top shape for guests. If you’ve read my “<a href=”http://momswithadd.ning.com/page/books-ebooks-1″ target=”_blank”>Survival Tips for Women with AD/HD</a>”, you’ll note a few great tips on how to de-clutter your house in a hurry (among other things). Here’s one: Have each family member take 2 mega garbage bags. Assign rooms to each person and have them dump the clutter into the bags. Haul them out to the garage. After the holiday, bring them back in and put everything away. Ok, let’s be reasonable. That part will take a few weeks. It’s ok. Been there, done that. It’s not the end of the world. But I would suggest that you delegate one bag for important stuff that you need easy access to, like your bills, calendars, dog food, meds, etc. Place a sticky label on the ties with a note that says “Important” or “Need to File.” 
 
3. Don’t even THINK about cleaning up the dinner dishes till the next morning. Dump everything in the sink. Pour hot water and detergent on everything. By morning, everything will easily slide off. You’ll have a lot more energy to attack this chore, too. 
 
2. Do not obsess over the fact that you have 645 Holiday cards to send out, knowing it’ll be impossible to get them done in time. Here’s a great tip- Order your Xmas Cards <a href=”http://www.cardsremembered.com?a_aid=fa22ce24″ target=”_blank”>HERE</a> and let THEM send them out FOR you. 
 
1. Do not force your ADHD kids to wait till dinnertime for their meal. Again, rule breaking is in order here if you and your guests want a pleasant dinner. Allow the kids to eat when they are hungry. Nothing can break a holiday spirit faster than irritable kids. 
 
There- you made it! Now one last thing: write down what you did this year that worked and what didn’t. Write down your menu and anything else you think will help you get through this next year. But…don’t ask me where to put it. I need to digest my Thanksgiving turkey, first.

Terry’s Top 10 List of Survival Tips for the Holidays

Terry

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