The holidays are supposed to feel magical… so why does everyone melt down by 4 p.m.? 🎄
In this episode, Katie and Meagan talk about the joys and the madness of the holiday season — why kids (and adults) get overwhelmed, what “overstimulation” really looks like, and how to protect everyone’s nervous system so you can actually enjoy the good stuff.

We’re talking real-life stories (including Thanksgiving football drama and a three-day Christmas bender ending in tears), practical strategies, and a gentle reminder that your worth as a parent is not measured in perfectly curated memories.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why big feelings spike around the holidays (for kids and parents)

• How disrupted routines, sugar, noise, and excitement overload kids’ nervous systems

• What “overstimulation” actually feels like in your body as a grown-up

• The idea of a “window of tolerance” and how to gently stretch yours during busy seasons

• How to spot the early signs that your kid is nearing a meltdown

• Simple, kind ways to offer kids a break without shaming or embarrassing them

• Realistic expectations for travel, multiple events, and seeing all the extended family

• Building in downtime on purpose (instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best)

• The “ungrateful kids” narrative — what’s actually going on underneath it

• How our kids learn what to expect from us… and why that isn’t their fault

• • Shaping gratitude without shaming, labeling, or calling kids “selfish” or “ungrateful”

  
  

  🎧 Listen to “But The Years Are Short” on your favorite platform:

  
  

  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/but-the-years-are-short/id1836480974

  
  

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  https://buttheyearsareshortpodcast.com/

  
  

  👋 Work with us:

  Meagan’s counseling practice: https://meaganjacksoncounseling.com/

  Katie’s consulting & counseling work: https://www.katiezconsulting.com/

  
  

Navigating the holidays across two homes is a lot — schedules, feelings, traditions, extended family, and the pressure to “make it magical” for your kids. If you’re parenting after separation or divorce, this episode is for you. 💛

Today we’re talking about how to make the holidays gentler for your kids and for you — without overexplaining, oversharing, or over-functioning.

In this episode, we dig into:

• 🗓️ Holiday schedules that kids can actually understandVisual calendars, color-coding, and how to keep both homes on the same page so kids feel grounded instead of confused.

• 😊 Making room for mixed feelingsHow to respond when your child is happy and missing their other parent at the same time — without taking it personally or shutting it down.

• 🎄 Traditions that can travel between homesSimple rituals (like ornaments, pajamas, game nights, Elf on the Shelf, etc.) that help kids feel like “one family, two homes” instead of two separate lives.

• 🧠 Protecting kids from adult stressWhy your sadness, grief, or loneliness around the holidays is valid — and why your kids are not the ones who should be carrying it.

• ⏳ Letting go of “making up for lost time”Why kids don’t count overnights the way adults do, and how chasing “fair” time can actually increase stress for everyone.

• 👵 Extended family & the confused relative factorHow to explain the schedule ahead of time, ask for support, and set boundaries with kindness so your kids aren’t caught in the middle.

  
  

  This episode is for you if…

  • You’re co-parenting after separation or divorce and the holidays feel complicated.

  • You’re worried your kids will feel torn, guilty, or responsible for everyone’s feelings.

  • You’re feeling lonely or raw about sharing time and don’t want that to spill onto your kids.

• • You want concrete ideas (not just platitudes) for making this season calmer and more connected.

  Timestamps

  (approximate – feel free to adjust for your final edit)

  0:00 – Welcome & why holidays across two homes feel so tender
  1:40 – Holiday schedules: helping kids understand the plan
  4:20 – Visual calendars & keeping both homes consistent
  7:10 – First holidays after separation vs. a few years in
  8:40 – Holding space for “happy here AND missing the other parent”
  10:40 – Why it stings as a parent (and what to do with your own grief)
  12:15 – Traditions that can travel between homes
  18:10 – Adult stress, loneliness & getting your own support
  22:40 – “I want to model coping” vs. oversharing with kids
  27:50 – The pressure to “make up for lost time” & counting overnights
  32:40 – Talking to extended family & protecting kids from side commentary

  
  

  #parenting #coparenting #holidaymagic #gentleparenting #parentingskills

  
  

In this episode, Meagan and Katie get real about a tough but universal part of parenting: when our kids are mean to us. They unpack why kids sometimes lash out at the people they feel safest with, what’s happening underneath those big reactions, and how we as parents can hold boundaries without losing connection. Through honest stories and practical insight, they explore how to stay grounded, support emotional growth, and take care of ourselves in the moments that really sting.

For Children's Counseling and Parenting:

https://meaganjacksoncounseling.com/