Winter break is a family-favorite time for most families: extra time together, seasonal activities, parties and family gatherings are all highlights. This year, it might feel like a lot of the typical high points of the season are just a little bit out of reach. And, much like the very end of summer vacation, parenting becomes a bit more challenging.
Here are five quick tips on how to help adjust for the peculiar realities of winter break 2020. Maybe they will help your family reach just a little higher to capture some of those typical high points of the season.
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Talk about your feelings with your kids. Affirm what they’re feeling and model for them how to express feelings of sadness or disappointment. Being able to express these emotions in healthy ways can provide the foundation for resiliency for your whole family.
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Focus in on what you and your kids can control. Having to cancel family gatherings and winter activities this year could leave you and your children feeling powerless or like things are just a bit out of control. Instead of focusing on the pandemic, travel restrictions or what activities are cancelled, turn your energy to what you can control. Empower your kids to choose what they’re going to wear, what music to listen to, what movies to watch and what activities to do as a family.
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Create new family traditions this year, finding creative ways to make your kids’ favorite traditions come to life in new ways. If baking cookies with grandma is a favorite, trying doing it on a video call. Create a neighborhood door-drop gift exchange, engage your extended family in doing the same craft on the same day or add giving a donation to a local nonprofit to your list of traditions.
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Maintaining some regularity and expectations around mealtime, sleep schedules and screen time can help both kids and parents. Without the structure that school and work typical provide, families find themselves with a lot of flexibility. Kids thrive on structure and, although they will beg for less sleep and more screens, helping keep some of the structure will really help with emotional regulation. Eating together at least once a day and balancing the sweet treats with healthy foods are also big wins.
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Embrace scaling back this year, knowing that some of the normal seasonal stressors won’t be an issue. While it may be easy to look at this year as "less than" other years, it's also possible to positively reframe this season to think about what you gain. It's a simplified time to be together with our immediate family or closest friends in meaningful ways without the hustle and bustle that are typical for December and January. Be present and enjoy your time with your small circle of loved ones.
