…Take care of you this holiday season.
Fact: you, mother, make Christmas happen at home.  You are the cook, the cleaning lady and the dishwasher.  You go to all this trouble because you want to add that extra bit of joy in your children’s lives.

But, how smart is it to do so much that you forget to take care of you?  Yes, you should take care of you.  You are important.  And consider this – what’s the point of getting so stressed, you are cross and you yell at the very people you’re trying to make happy?  It makes sense to do what’s right for you.

Get enough sleep.  It keeps you from being crotchety.  It also gives you the energy you need.  Try to sleep seven hours to eight every night; forget that one chore you must get done.  It’s not worth losing sleep over.

Try some early morning exercises.  This is another energy-booster.  It gets your blood pumping, sending oxygen to your muscles.

Delegate.  The children can help with some chores.  Explain to them how tired you can get.  Yes, “having discussions” with the children sounds crazy, but my friends who are parents who do this, promise that it works.  Give the children small tasks they can handle.  Realise their limits.

Cut down on the extra Christmas cleaning.  Maybe you’re doing too much.  Do you need to wash those curtains again?  Relax.  Your family prefers an unstressed mother to a super-clean home.

Potluck.  If relatives are coming, ask them to bring a dish.  And ask for help to clean up after.  The work is quickly done then everyone has fun together.

Drink lots of water.  Being dehydrated makes a body tired and cranky.  Water helps your blood flow to all the right places, giving you an extra boost.