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First Time Visit with the Jolly Ole Elf
Monday, December 13, 2010 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Ho, ho, ho! If you celebrate Christmas, tis the season for holiday fun, including - perhaps - your little one's first picture with Santa. First experiences are always exciting. Not just for you, of course, but for your tiny tyke too!
If you've been a parent for more than 24 hours, you've probably learned that even the best plan can come undone. Infants/toddlers/preschoolers - children in general - are unpredictable! Just when you think you have a plan, their plan changes your plan.
What's the best way to approach (and perhaps succeed!) with this year's Santa picture?
First of all, keep your calm. Children are wonderfully intuitive. If you are calm, you have a better chance of them keeping their cool too. Don't fret over the small stuff like the perfect outfit, the munhckin keeping a cute hat on their head, or having to change into outfit B as a result of a kiddo's "mishap" (no further explanation needed
).
Secondly, prepare your child. Chances are, if your infant is below 6 months, they may (note: may - MY child definitely did mind!) not mind being held by anyone and everyone, including Mr. Claus himself. This has to do with temperment, but also with their age and stage of development. If you have an older infant or younger toddler, be warned. Your child may simply be TERRIFIED of Santa. No matter how cute, cuddly, and friendly Santa may be, he is a stranger to your child. In order to prepare your child, you could read a few books in the days before your outing to see Mr. C and/or even do a pre-visit, visit to Santa, just to see him from afar.
Third, do what feels right for your child. Year one, we don't have a Santa picture. I knew the attempt would end badly. Would it be worth it? I decided not. Year two is the picture of my happy munchkin in MY arms, she looking at me while Santa and I smile for the camera. Finally, year 3, there she is, happily on Santa's lap. Don't despair if the picture doesn't go perfectly. Try not to compare when you hear friends or relatives saying how "wonderfully happy" their child was to see Santa
.
Ho, ho, ho...and good luck!
