Holiday Q&A: Santa Logistics, Gifts and Sibling Jealousy - Ep. 390
Big Fat Positive: Pregnancy and Parenting (BFP)Show Notes
It’s Christmas week, and Shanna and Laura get festive answering listeners' holiday-themed questions in the special segment "Checkin' the Inbox!" They answer questions about handling the logistics of Santa, managing sibling jealousy during the gift-giving season, whether to do Elf on the Shelf and more! During the check-in, they share their families' plans for the holiday and discuss their gift ideas for their kids, their husbands (and each other!). In the special segment "Checkin' the Inbox: Holiday Q&A," Laura and Shanna. Finally, they share their BFPs or BFNs for the week. Shanna's kids are 6.5 and 9.5 years old, and Laura’s kids are 6.5 years old and 4.5 years old.
Topics discussed in this episode: Navigating holiday overwhelm while juggling work, parenting and year-end transitions Should I keep Christmas plans low-key and realistic or go all-out? Holiday activities that help kids burn energy (and parents stay sane) Navigating the mental load of gift-giving and holiday expectations How kids’ interests change faster than we can shop Whether or not to exchange gifts with other adults The pressure to give “perfect” gifts vs. embracing simpler ones Family traditions we carried over from childhood - and new ones we’re creating now Holiday light displays as a new seasonal tradition Elf on the Shelf: love it, hate it, or skip it entirely How different families handle Santa Big gifts vs. small gifts (and who should get the credit) Fairness, siblings and navigating different ages during the holidays Deciding which holiday expectations are actually worth the effort Blending holiday traditions from different backgrounds Finding ways to make the season feel special without overdoing it
Products, links, and resources mentioned in this episode: -Tiny Chef -Descanso Gardens Enchanted Forest of Lights -LA Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow -5 Nights at Freddy's Costume -Harry Potter Legos -Kids Pottery Wheel -Labubu -Menorahs at Target -The Boar's Head Carol -The Alex Theater
Past BFP episodes mentioned in this episode: -Ep. 343 - (Where Shanna talks about giving her kids a trampoline for Christmas)
Connect with Us Follow us on social: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook at @bfppodcast Join our Facebook community group for support and camaraderie on your parenting journey. Visit our website: bigfatpositivepodcast.com Email us: [email protected]
If you enjoyed this episode, help spread the word by sharing the show or leaving a review. Thank you!
Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey is produced by Laura Birek, Shanna Micko and Steve Yager. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
More from Big Fat Positive: Pregnancy and Parenting (BFP)
In this week's "Out of Context" segment, Shanna and Laura trade screenshots of text messages that need some explaining, including an emoji mix-up from an unexpected sender and a running joke about husbands who can’t see what’s right in front of them. Also, Laura finds out what it takes to get approved as a school volunteer these days, and a lottery win at school takes a real bite out of homework stress at Shanna’s house. They also share this week’s BFPs and BFNs.
Shanna and Laura answer listener questions about lying down with kids at bedtime, how to handle a child’s sleep anxiety, and the systems they use to keep track of every story they want to tell on the show. Shanna describes her bedtime routine now that her kids are older, Laura makes peace with the kid who lands in her bed at 2 a.m. every night, and both share the apps and docs holding this podcast together.
In this week’s “Internet Insanity” segment, Shanna breaks down the NeeDoh squishy toy craze that’s led to store fights, police involvement and a 243% spike in poison control calls, and Laura finally solves a months-long mystery about the bot-like comments appearing on the show's Spotify episodes. Also, fall activities ramp up for Shanna’s family, while Laura rides an unexpected wave of productivity around the house. They also share this week’s BFPs and BFNs.
Homework season starts and goes about as badly as Laura feared, leaving her looking for a way to get it done somewhere other than the kitchen table. Shanna's brutal mornings turn around after an unexpected discovery at urgent care. In this week's "Loose Ends" segment, Shanna and Laura revisit the stories they left dangling: whether a months-long screen time ban is still holding up, where a nine-month-overdue front tooth finally landed, and whether a head wound is going to leave a scar. They also share this week's BFPs and BFNs.
Shanna's drop-off struggles with her youngest escalate, so she lands on an unconventional solution to improve her family's morning routines. Laura scrambles to find last-minute babysitter coverage so she can attend an all-day music festival without the kids. In this week's "Throwback" segment, Shanna confesses to a split-second decision in fifth-grade band class that hurt a friendship, and shares what she hopes for her own fifth grader, who's navigating similar terrain. They also share this week's BFPs and BFNs.