A January Reset: Creating Calm After Festive Overload

After the brightness, noise, excitement and complete routine-disruption of Christmas, many neurodivergent children enter January feeling overwhelmed, dysregulated, or simply exhausted.
If your child is more sensitive, clingy, emotional, withdrawn, or harder to settle right now — nothing is wrong. Their nervous system is coming down from weeks of sensory input and unpredictable change.

January can be the perfect moment for a gentle sensory reset. Here’s how to bring calm back into your home — for your child and for you.

1. Lower the sensory demands

The fastest way to support a child after Christmas is to reduce what’s coming in, not add more stimulation.

Try softening the environment by:

Turning off background noise such as TV, radio or constant music

Using lamps instead of overhead lights

Tidying away visually busy toys or decorations

Keeping one room intentionally “quiet”

Offering more downtime than usual

Children who feel “too much” often become overwhelmed, emotional, or reactive. Reducing sensory load gives their system space to settle.

2. Re-establish predictable rhythms

Not strict routines — just gentle anchors.

After Christmas, children benefit from knowing what to expect. Try introducing:

Consistent mealtimes

A short quiet time after school

Predictable morning steps (e.g., get dressed → breakfast → shoes)

Simple transition warnings (“Five minutes left, then tidy.”)

Visual prompts or soft verbal cues

Predictability is calming because it removes the pressure of constant surprise. For autistic and ADHD children especially, rhythm = safety.

3. Refresh or create a “calm space”

A sensory-regulating safe space doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to feel predictable, cosy and low-demand.

Ideas include:

A pop-up tent or canopy

Cushions, blankets, weighted items

A beanbag, low lighting or fairy lights

Noise-reducing headphones nearby

A box of familiar comfort toys or fidgets

Encourage your child to use this space whenever they feel overwhelmed. It helps them reconnect with their body and settle after sensory overload.

4. Choose activities that soothe — not stimulate

After a busy festive season, choose sensory activities that regulate rather than excite.

Try:

Deep pressure

Bear hugs (if tolerated)

Weighted blankets or lap pads

Massage or firm squeezes on arms/shoulders

Proprioceptive input

Pushing hands against a wall

Carrying something safe but heavy

Crawling under cushions or blankets

Slow, rhythmic movement

Rocking in a chair

Gentle swaying

Walking outside in fresh air

These activities help the nervous system move from “high alert” back to a sense of groundedness.

5. Lower expectations — and build in recovery time

January is not the month for harsh routines, strict expectations or “new year, new you” pressure.
Your child has just navigated sensory overwhelm, social demands, disrupted routines and emotional highs. You have too.

It’s okay to:

Cancel plans

Have quieter weekends

Reduce after-school activities

Offer simple meals

Spend more time resting

A calmer month now can prevent meltdowns, shutdowns and burnout later.

A final reassurance

You don’t need to overhaul your whole home.
You don’t need to fix everything at once.
Even one or two changes can make a meaningful difference.

Your child is not struggling because you did anything wrong — they’re simply recovering from a season that was designed around sensory overload.

A gentle January helps everyone breathe again.

If you’d like support with routines, sensory needs or family connection, Family Avenues is here to help you find clarity and calm.