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Navigating Holiday Expectations

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Lesson Plan

Navigating Holiday Expectations

Students will be able to identify personal and family expectations for the holiday season and develop strategies for healthy communication, boundary setting, and self-care.

The holiday season can be a time of joy, but also stress due to increased social and emotional demands. Learning to navigate expectations is crucial for maintaining well-being and fostering positive relationships.

Audience

7th and 8th Grade Students

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Realistic scenarios and problem-solving exercises.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Are Holidays Made Of?

5 minutes

Step 2

Exploring Personal & Family Expectations

15 minutes

Step 3

Scenario-Based Problem Solving

20 minutes

Step 4

Self-Care During the Holidays Activity

15 minutes

Step 5

Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Navigating Holiday Expectations

How to enjoy the holidays your way!

Today, we'll learn to understand our own holiday feelings and communicate them to others, so everyone can have a happier holiday season!

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them what comes to mind when they hear 'holidays.'

What Are Holiday Expectations?

  • Expectations: A strong belief that something will happen or be the case.
  • We all have them!
  • They can be about gifts, food, family time, traditions, or even how we feel.
  • Sometimes, expectations don't match reality, and that's okay!

Explain that expectations are beliefs about how things will or should be. They can be personal (what we want) or from others (what they want from us).

Your Holiday Hopes

  • What are your personal hopes for the holidays?
  • What makes you feel joyful?
  • What traditions do you love?
  • What new memories do you want to make?

Prompt students to think about their personal hopes and wishes for the holidays. What makes them happy? What do they look forward to?

Family Holiday Traditions & Pressures

  • Families often have strong traditions.
  • These can be wonderful, but sometimes they create pressure.
  • What are some family expectations you've experienced?
  • How do these make you feel?

Discuss how family traditions and cultural backgrounds shape expectations. Sometimes these can feel like pressure.

Scenario Showdown!

  • Let's tackle some real-life holiday dilemmas.
  • Work in small groups to discuss the scenarios on your worksheet.
  • How would you communicate your feelings?
  • What boundaries could you set?

Explain that they will work in groups on scenarios to practice communicating and setting boundaries.

Strategies for Success

  1. Communicate Clearly: Use "I" statements. "I feel overwhelmed when..."
  2. Set Boundaries: Decide what you are comfortable with and stick to it.
  3. Compromise: Find middle ground when possible.
  4. Practice Empathy: Understand others' perspectives, even if you don't agree.
  5. It's Okay to Say No: You don't have to do everything.

After group discussions, bring the class back together to share and synthesize common strategies. Emphasize respect and empathy.

Prioritizing YOU!

The holidays can be busy and demanding. It's important to make time for yourself!

Self-Care: Taking actions to preserve or improve one's own health and well-being.

  • Why is this extra important during the holidays?

Define self-care as taking care of your physical and mental health. Ask students for examples.

My Holiday Self-Care Plan

  • What activities help you relax?
  • How can you make sure you get enough rest?
  • What are some healthy ways to cope with stress?

Take time to fill out your worksheet!

Give students time to complete their self-care activity. Reiterate that self-care looks different for everyone.

Recap: Your Holiday Toolbox

  • Identify your expectations and others'.
  • Communicate your needs respectfully.
  • Set Boundaries that protect your well-being.
  • Prioritize Self-Care to manage stress.
  • Remember, your feelings are valid!

Quickly review the key strategies discussed: identifying expectations, communicating, setting boundaries, and practicing self-care.

Happy & Healthy Holidays!

You have the tools to make this holiday season more enjoyable for yourself and those around you.

Go forth and navigate with confidence!

End on a positive and empowering note. Encourage students to apply these skills.

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Worksheet

Holiday Expectation Scenarios

Part 1: Your Holiday Hopes & Realities

Think about the upcoming holiday season. What are some of your personal hopes and expectations? What are some expectations you think your family might have?

  1. My Personal Hopes/Expectations:











  2. Family Hopes/Expectations for Me/Our Family:











  3. How do these expectations make me feel? (Excited, stressed, happy, nervous, etc.):





Part 2: Navigating Holiday Scenarios

Read the following scenarios. In your group, discuss how the person in each scenario could navigate the situation using healthy communication, boundary setting, and self-care strategies. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.

Scenario 1: The Gift Giver

Your grandma always gives you clothes that are too small or not your style, and she expects you to wear them immediately. This year, you really want to try to communicate your feelings without hurting her feelings.

How would you approach this? What would you say or do?












Scenario 2: The Overbooked Schedule

Your parents have planned a holiday schedule packed with visits to four different relatives in one day. You feel exhausted just thinking about it and really want some time to relax and recharge.

How can you communicate your need for downtime? What boundaries could you suggest?












Scenario 3: The Family Debate

During a holiday dinner, your uncle starts a conversation about a topic you know will lead to a heated argument among family members. You want to avoid the tension and just enjoy the meal.

What strategies could you use to steer clear of the debate or change the subject?












Scenario 4: The Unrealistic Help Request

Your older sibling asks you to help them wrap all their gifts for hours on Christmas Eve, which cuts into your personal time to relax and get ready for Christmas morning.

How can you manage this request? What's a fair compromise or boundary to set?












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Activity

My Holiday Self-Care Plan

The holidays can be wonderful, but also a little overwhelming! It's important to take care of yourself. This activity will help you think about ways to prioritize you during this busy time.

Section 1: My Self-Care Superpowers

What are some things that help you relax, recharge, or feel happy? Think about different areas of your life.

  • Physical Self-Care (e.g., getting enough sleep, eating well, moving your body)





  • Mental Self-Care (e.g., reading, quiet time, journaling, listening to music)





  • Emotional Self-Care (e.g., talking to a trusted friend, expressing feelings, watching a comforting movie)





  • Social Self-Care (e.g., spending time with people who lift you up, limiting time with draining people)





Section 2: My Holiday Self-Care Commitments

Now, choose at least three specific self-care activities you will commit to doing during the upcoming holiday season. For each, explain how and when you will make it happen.

  1. Self-Care Activity:
    How/When I will do it:






  2. Self-Care Activity:
    How/When I will do it:






  3. Self-Care Activity:
    How/When I will do it:






Section 3: My Holiday Boundaries

Setting boundaries is a way of practicing self-care. What is one boundary you might need to set or communicate to someone (a friend, family member, etc.) during the holidays to protect your well-being?

My Holiday Boundary:






How I will communicate this boundary (what will I say or do?):











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