Experts are shedding light on how this time of year changes the brains of our children, and it may answer a lot of questions that we have. This time of year is magical for a lot of people. There are sparkly lights everywhere, everyone is singing and joyful and children know that Santa is coming soon with some of the most beautiful presents to put under the tree. Parents may also notice that their children act a bit differently this time of year, they may be overly excited and anxious, and this could lead to some negative behaviors.According to Romper and Flipboard, Christmas has a big impact on a child’s brain, and it is important for everyone to understand what is happening there. One of the biggest things that is happening is causing changes in anticipation.Right after the turkey is put away, children are super focused on Christmas and the anticipation starts building up. This is essentially them “counting down” and this can bring about a lot of feelings. Children can start to feel excited, anxious, frustrated, happiness and even fear. It is also important to note that this may be a hard time of year for some children.Children who are in low-income families may start feeling the stress of their parents as they try and figure out how they can afford to make Christmas work. Strong emotions, both positive and negative, can have a big impact on children and their behavior and it is important that parents are in tune with what may be going on in their child’s mind. There are even hormonal changes that are happening in their bodies and they are releasing hormones a bit more at the holiday time and this can make them more tired and irritable than usual.[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/sol_wisdom/status/1468867071912165376[/EMBED_TWITTER]The holidays are also a busy time, and routines may be thrown off every now and then and this is bound to impact a child and their brain. Parents are always advised to try and stick to their schedules as much as they can to try and minimize the emotional response in children. When it comes to how to help these children who are being affected, the answer is simple. Parents are reminded to be patient with their children and to remind themselves if they get frustrated that there is a lot going on in their child’s mind right now, a child who is still learning to navigate big emotions.Sources: Romper, Flipboard