2022, what a moved year! A few more days to go and then we all officially start the new year. New Year's Eve can be a challenge for young parents. In this blog we explain what you can take into account as a parent, what to do with young children and how you can go into the new year together.
New Year's Eve with young children
Every child is unique, that's why they all respond differently to the crowds and the festivities around New Year's Eve. For some children this can mean unrest, while others love it and prefer to stay up all night. To prevent your child from becoming unnecessarily scared of the fireworks, you can tell them in advance what exactly will happen. Tell that fireworks are incredibly beautiful, but that it can also cause loud bangs.
Stay up or go to bed?
Normally the children are in bed on time. Because the party really starts around 12 o'clock, you have to meet each other what you do with the children. Do you bring them to bed on time and do you wake them up just before 12 o'clock? Or do you let the children stay up for up to 12 o'clock? No worries, late staying up no matter. In the meantime it is smart to have something that makes staying up a bit easier. A fun game, or an exciting movie, before you realize it is 12 hours.
Do you have a baby? Then staying up is unwise. Babies need a fixed sleep rhythm for their development. If you would still wake your baby around 12 o'clock, you run the risk of disrupting the sleep rhythm. It is also better to stay indoors with young children when fireworks are set off. Young children just have the habit of picking up everything and are not yet able to estimate a situation.
Where are you going to celebrate?
It is good to know in advance where you are going to celebrate the New Year. If you celebrate it at home with, for example, friends and family, it is a lot easier to take your child into account. You have the luxury that you can put them in bed immediately and when they sleep you only have to keep an eye on the baby monitor.
If you are going to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends or family, the organization is just a bit different. Keep in mind that you take the right things with you and if necessary, don't forget the baby bed. A disadvantage of celebrating New Year's Eve with a baby is that you still have to wake them up when you go home.
Do you want to herald the new year? Perhaps it is an idea to bring the children to you (in -laws) parents. Usually grandpa and grandma celebrate New Year's Eve a lot less extensive, so mum and dad can go one more time again. If your (clean) parents cannot do, a babysitter is also an option.
