Beating the Winter Blues

I know someone very near and dear to me who suffers from this every winter. My suggestions of coming to Hawaii go unheeded so this is the next best thing. I hope these tips offers work.

Beat the Winter Blues

1. Be spontaneous. Change your schedule. Cancel a same ole’ same ole’ family activity and schedule a fun one in its place. Go bowling, to a museum, to Grandma’s house, anything fun and completely unplanned!

2. Relax the rules. No eating in the living room? Spread out a blanket for a picnic lunch. No sweets on weekdays? Dish up some ice cream. And now is the perfect time to pull out the noisy toys you hid after Christmas (you can hide them again later).

3. Go outside. Even if it’s cold, getting outdoors for 30 minutes or so can change your perspective and refresh your soul. Take a walk, build a snowman, or just breathe in the fresh air and relish the quiet of “outside.” Small bodies need to expend energy. Better to have them do it in a snow bank (even if it means taking 20 minutes to get dressed) than in your living room.

4. Get cooking. Kids love to “help” in the kitchen and making a meal, baking bread, or preparing a dessert can be a fun diversion for the whole family. Accept from the start that you will make a beautiful mess and then pull out the ingredients and call the kids in to help.

5. Learn something new. Teaching yourself and your kids a new skill can open your minds to new worlds, even if you are stuck in the house. Learn a foreign language, try out yoga, research your family tree, learn to knit, study architecture ... Get your brain juices flowing!