11/26/2025
🌟Holiday Time = Overwhelm Time
Here Are 5 Co-Regulation Strategies That Actually Help 🌟
The holidays are magical… and also LOUD, busy, unpredictable, and full of sensory surprises.
If your child is feeling overstimulated (or if you are 😅), co-regulation can make all the difference.
Co-regulation means we do it with them—not to them, not for them, and never forced.
It’s the adult staying calm, modeling strategies, and inviting the child into something regulating. If they’re interested, great—you can help them participate. If they aren’t interested, that’s okay too. Modeling without expectation keeps things safe, supportive, and pressure-free.
Here are 5 simple, connection-based strategies you can try this season:
✨ 1. Dim the Lights
Soft lighting brings down visual overwhelm. Narrate what you’re doing (“Let’s make the room cozy!”) so your child sees you calming with them—not calming them down.
✨ 2. Offer Soft Items to Hug, Hold, or Toss
Sit beside your child and model squeezing a stuffed animal, hugging a pillow, or gently tossing a soft ball in the air. If they want to join, support them. If not, keep modeling calmly.
✨ 3. Play a Quick Game of Chase or Tag
Movement is one of the BEST stress relievers.
Try: “I’m going to run to the couch! Want to chase me?”
If they follow, awesome. If not, you’ve still modeled a playful, regulating option.
✨ 4. Cozy Up Together Under a Blanket
Invite—not insist. You can sit under a blanket and pat the spot beside you. If they crawl in, share the warmth and deep pressure. If not, you’re still creating a calming atmosphere they can join when ready.
✨ 5. Take a “Together Break”
Instead of sending a child to calm alone, sit next to them.
Match their energy.
Breathe together.
Let them know you’re there—no expectations, no pressure.
💛 Co-regulation is about connection, not compliance.
Your presence matters more than the strategy itself.
From all of us at New View Autism Clinic, we hope your season is filled with warmth, joy, and plenty of gentle moments of connection.
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