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The holidays are *so hard,* especially this year, when moms are feeling pressure to make up for last year’s disappointments. I devote a whole chapter of Mom Brain to holidays and special events, and will be sharing some of my coping strategies in short weekly holiday coping videos starting Monday. Please reach out with any suggestions for issues you’d like…
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Like so many other families, my family recently experienced a COVID scare: We were exposed to someone who was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID. While the person we were exposed to was awaiting the results of their COVID test, we felt compelled to quarantine. We didn’t want to send the kids to school or soccer or anywhere…
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Emma, mom to a 1 and 3 year-old, was a proud member of what she called “The Sleep Police.” Her kids were on a strict sleeping/napping schedule that she would move mountains to maintain. By her own admission, Emma was rigid with her children’s schedules, believing that if she wasn’t, chaos would ensue. Emma’s holiday plans always involved staying over…
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Moms, you are not Santa. You do not have magical reindeer. You cannot consume a gazillion chocolate chip cookies without getting gravely ill. And, most importantly, you do not have a staff of elves to do your bidding. In a recent post I talked about how moms have overblown expectations for the holiday season—they expect magical things to happen and…
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Those of you who’ve seen my previous videos and articles will know that I am a hardcore fan of planning ahead for big events. Not surprisingly, I advocate for extensive holiday planning, starting a few weeks out from the holidays. Here are a few guidelines for effective holiday planning: Break big tasks down into smaller steps: Make a list of…
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It’s no secret that the holidays can be incredibly stressful, especially for moms of little ones. Here’s a list of eight cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies for surviving the holidays with young kids. Set appropriate expectations: Those first few holidays with little ones will likely not be magical, thanks to the completely unpredictable nature of young kids. Set your expectations low,…
Mom Brain Book
Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood—and Relax into Your New Self
About Me
I’m Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, Ph.D., aka DrCBTMom. DrCBTMom.com combines the expert advice of a self-help book with the warmth and readability of a mommy blog.
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