As the days grow shorter and the temperatures fall, our natural instinct is to go into hibernation mode. We become less active, we sleep more than we should, we watch more screen time, and we hunker down until springtime. This reflex can have negative health affects for ourselves and our families, but can also result in seasonal depression and other mental health challenges. As Wisconsin parents, we need to fight the impulse to hibernate, and proactively prepare for a productive and energized winter.
The first step in the process is to realize that the end of daylight does not indicate the end of our day. If we were productive until 8:30 or 9:00pm during the summer months, there is no reason that we cannot maintain that same level of motivation and activity now. What we do with our time, individually and as a family, will obviously change, and these changes will require more pre-planning.
Similar to our covid experience, screen time does tend to increase dramatically this time of year. Isolation is a leading cause of mental health challenges, from anxiety to loneliness, so we cannot allow everyone in our family to escape to their own room for social media or Netflix marathons. After coming home from a long workday, having driven through sleet and snow, with a bit of cold on top of it all, our first instinct might well be to sit and ‘screen’. But our children deserve better. We need to limit our own screen time and our children’s screen time, and then offer up interesting and entertaining alternatives.
A puzzle could be one very simple alternative. If your kids are younger, there are many varieties of puzzles that are simple to assemble while being somewhat time consuming. One alphabet puzzle that our children played with ran the length of our hallway and took nearly a half hour to assemble. If you have older kids, leave a more complicated puzzle set up on a card table out of the way and let family members come and go. You can purchase puzzles, or you can check them out from your local library.
With abundant inside time, there is abundant time to cook or bake; eating healthy is critical to positive mental health, especially in the darker months, so plan meals that require a bit of prep time and are good for your family. We have found that if our kids are involved in the meal preparation process, they are more apt to eat new foods or experiment with a new fruit or vegetable. Some of this meal prep may be on Sunday afternoon, for the week, or possibly dinner for the next night’s meal. Family meal prep may not be the best plan if mom and dad come home late from work, and everyone is starving. In addition to meals, try moving outside your comfort zone and buy a bread maker, or bake a pie, or try hand-decorating cookies. Nothing brings families together like food, and if you make the process fun, you could be teaching your children a lifelong skill set. As an added bonus, you will be saving a ton of money cooking from scratch, and you know exactly what your family is eating.
Game nights can also be a great way to fill long winter evenings. When our kids were little, we even created our own board game. When a player landed on a space after rolling the dice, they would have to do 10 jumping jacks or make an animal noise. Obviously, the options for the spaces on your family game board are endless and can be specific to your home and your family’s interests. For older children that may not be terribly interested in game night, the most important step is to create an expectation of game night time and day, so there will not be any excuses. There are plenty of great game options for teens – let them choose.
Most importantly, know that you are not trapped inside. Your kids still need to get outside, even if the weather is cold, or snowy, or windy. Make sure you bundle up and head outside at least two or three times each week. If your kids are younger and there is snow, there is no need to plan an activity – just let them play. If there is no snow, just walk around the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. Older kids don’t need much to have fun outside either, once you get them out there; a couple of hockey sticks and a tennis ball can create hours of fun, especially if the driveway is a bit icy. Fresh air and exercise will go a long way toward keeping your family healthy, both physically and mentally.
Lastly, think about how your family could be a light to others during the winter months. Is there an older family member or neighbor who would appreciate a visit for an hour on a Wednesday night in January? Maybe you could bring some cookies that you made. Or invite them over for one of your home-cooked meals. Perhaps there is a volunteer activity at your church that would allow your family to engage in the community and do good. You will be creating memories and creating life-long habits for your children.
This winter, create a plan, be proactive, and make the season bright for your family.