8 Quotes to Help Parents Slow the Holiday Season Down

For families navigating sensory overload, expectations, and emotional exhaustion

The holidays are often described as joyful — but for many parents of neurodiverse children, they can feel loud, fast, and heavy. School routines disappear. Family dynamics resurface. Sensory input multiplies.

Sometimes what parents need most isn’t another checklist — it’s permission to slow down.

These quotes are meant to ground you, remind you you’re not alone, and help you reframe what a “successful” holiday really looks like.

1. “Quiet is our superpower. We slow the season down.”

— Genie Dawkins, The Parenting Cipher

This line captures the heart of what so many families need during the holidays: less performance, more presence. Calm isn’t weakness — it’s regulation.

In the episode Beyond Report Cards, Genie reminds parents that intentional slowness is an act of leadership, not avoidance

Parent reflection:
What would change if calm — not compliance — was your holiday goal?

🎧 Podcast support: Beyond Report Cards

2. “Children borrow their parents’ nervous systems.”

— Referenced in The Parenting Cipher, inspired by Jodi Aman

This idea shows up powerfully in Calm Amid Holiday Chaos for Neurodiverse Kids. When parents model calm, children don’t have to figure it out alone — they feel it first

.

Parent reflection:
Before asking your child to regulate, ask: What does my body need right now?

3. “Dysregulation is not misbehavior — it’s communication.”

— Paraphrased from trauma-informed care frameworks

Holiday “meltdowns” are often mislabeled. Overstimulation, anxiety, and unpredictability show up as behavior — but the message underneath is usually “this is too much.”

Genie breaks this down clearly in real-life terms in Calm Amid Holiday Chaos

Parent reflection:
What might your child be telling you without words?

4. “Small progress is still progress — especially when no one else sees it.”

— Genie Dawkins, The Parenting Cipher

This theme runs through both episodes: growth doesn’t always announce itself.

A shorter meltdown. Asking for a break. Staying regulated five minutes longer than last time — these matter.

Parent reflection:
What small win happened this week that deserves acknowledgment?

🎧 Podcast support: Beyond Report Cards

5. “Rest is not a reward. It is a requirement.”

— Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance

For parents — especially parents of color — the pressure to “push through” is intense. This quote reframes rest as necessary, not indulgent.

It aligns deeply with your message about centering yourself before engaging family dynamics during the holidays.

Parent reflection:
Where can you build in intentional pause — even five minutes?

6. “Predictability creates safety.”

— Child development principle, echoed throughout your work

Visual calendars, clear expectations, and previewing events aren’t “extra.” They’re regulation tools.

Genie explains how predictability reduces anxiety when school schedules and routines change during the holidays

Parent reflection:
What can your child know in advance this week?

7. “You don’t owe anyone access to your child at the expense of their peace.”

— Parental boundary framework (widely cited in neurodiversity advocacy)

Family gatherings can be complicated. Love and misunderstanding can coexist.

This quote reflects the lived experience Genie shares about navigating family dynamics, protection, and boundaries during holiday visits

Parent reflection:
What boundary would make this season feel safer for you and your child?

8. “Celebrate progress — even when it doesn’t look like tradition.”

— The Parenting Cipher

Your Three C’s framework — Create space. Communicate clearly. Celebrate progress. — is a powerful holiday anchor.

Progress might mean leaving early. Skipping an event. Or simply getting through the day.

And that still counts.

🎧 Podcast support: Calm Amid Holiday Chaos for Neurodiverse Kids

If this post resonated, you’re not alone.

🎧 Listen to:

• Beyond Report Cards: Recognizing Progress in Neurodivergent Children

• Calm Amid Holiday Chaos for Neurodiverse Kids

📥 Download the Holiday Survival Checklist from the show notes.

And if you’re a parent who needs permission to move slower this season — save this post and come back to it when things feel loud.