Hi there,

It’s hard to believe but the holiday season is almost here. The season that’s supposed to bring joy often brings the opposite to parents: exhaustion, pressure, and a to-do list that never ends.

We gotta be honest here, the holidays are much harder on parents than kids. 

And in this issue, we’re talking about how to survive this season without burning out (or breaking the bank).

The Pressure Parents Face

While kids dream about the holidays, parents are juggling an impossible checklist, to name a few:

  1. Family travel and meal planning

  2. Gift buying, wrapping, and shipping

  3. Coordinating everyone's calendars (and moods)

  4. School parties, concerts, and end-of-year events

By December, most of us are running on caffeine and survival mode.

I have friends who’ve already planned their family photos, picked outfits, and ordered matching pajamas. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to remember what week Thanksgiving falls on.

Wish Lists Turning to Material Lists (iykyk)

Holiday wish lists have changed a lot since we were kids.

It’s no longer just “a toy I saw on TV.” It’s “a specific brand, a viral trend, or something my favorite YouTuber has.”

Ten-year-olds are watching “Get Ready With Me” videos by child influencers with 12-step skincare routines. And now they want $30 skincare stuff. 

And boys? They’ve got their eyes on the latest gaming setup or gadget drop.

Even kids who aren’t on social media are still watching YouTube. The exposure is constant, and so is the pressure to want more.

Time For Some Money Talk…

We rarely say it out loud, but the holidays can quietly wreck a family’s finances.

Your child asks for that one big thing. You want to say yes because you love them and want to see that spark in their eyes.

But then January arrives, and the joy from December suddenly comes with receipts.

Here’s what’s helped me pause before I swipe:

1. Ask if it lasts. Will they still use it in March, or is it just this month’s trend? If it’s something meaningful and lasting, it might be worth stretching for; if it’s another viral phase, probably not.

2. Bring them into the budget. If they’re old enough to want expensive things, they’re old enough to learn how money works. Let them help decide how the budget gets split.

You’ll be surprised at how reasonable kids become when they’re part of the decision instead of just the outcome.

How to Talk to Your Children About Money. A must read for parents! 

3. Give back together. Whatever your budget, save a slice for giving. Kids don’t learn generosity from lectures; they know it by doing it with you. 

And once they’re part of those conversations, something else happens… they start learning lessons that no gift can teach:

• Gratitude over getting: noticing what we already have.

• Giving equals joy: the happiness of making others feel special.

• Budget awareness: understanding that money is finite and requires choices.

• Delayed gratification: realizing that not everything has to be bought right now.

These are life skills. And they come from lived experience, from watching us pause before we spend, plan before we purchase, and give before we take. 

To The Already Overwhelmed Moms… 

I know the standard advice is "take 10 minutes for yourself in the morning," or "get a cup of tea," or "practice self-care." But, when I hear that advice during the holiday season, I think "yeah, I know, but I don't have time for that." 

So instead of generic self-care reminders, here's what might actually help:

  1. Outsource everything you possibly can. To your partner, to your kids, to family members, to friends. Don't carry everything alone because you think you should.

  2. Cut your task list in half. What can you just not do this year? What would happen if you skipped it? Nothing catastrophic. 

  3. Communicate your limits. Let people know you're doing less this year. Most will understand. Some might judge. Their judgment isn't your problem.  

This is what it looks like in action ⬇️

Check the subreddit for understanding how parents regain their sanity by establishing boundaries! 

Please remember, you don't need to do it alone! 

That’s all for today’s issue, parents! 💗 

Inside the Laid-back Parent’s Internet History this week: 

🔖 READ: Helping Kids Appreciate The Holiday Season

🔖 READ: Teaching Teens About Money

🔖 READ: How to Say No to Expensive Trends As a Parent

Note for My Fellow -Back Parents 📧

Your kids don’t need a “magical” season. They need parents who aren’t snapping over wrapping paper and unpaid credit cards. If joy has to come at the cost of your peace, your sleep, or your sanity, it’s not joy anymore. 

So this year, plan ahead to do something radical… Say no. Spend less. Expect less. Let the memories come from laughter, not exhaustion.

See you next week,

Lakshmi 💛