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You don’t have to be anxious about the potential of winter break with your kids being exhausting and wearing, even when you’re struggling with depression. Instead, you can arm yourself with tools to make this time easier and hopefully even help improve your depression! I hope this helps you gain some confidence that you can do this! And maintain your sanity 😉

While having our kids go to school comes with its own difficulties, we sometimes have to admit that it can serve as a much needed break.

Then winter break rolls around and we are excited to have our kids home with us; to be able to spend quality time with them at such a fun time of the year, just to find that a few days into it we might not have been as prepared as we thought. Bring on the sibling fights and the meltdowns, both those of our kids’ and those of our own.

This has happened to me so many times. So no, you are not alone, mama, and you are not a bad mom for it.

This magical time of year should be just that: magical, not stressful.

Bring your spouse in the know

If you’re married or have a live-in partner, voice your concerns with them now, before break and then keep them updated throughout. Definitely ask if they can be mentally prepared to have to suddenly let you take 5, 10, 30, however-many minutes to yourself when you need to.

Sometimes I will tell my husband at bedtime that I would like some sort of break the next day or in the next couple of days and that really helps him stay in the know and know what to expect.

Then be sure to take initiative. Help them work with you and don’t assume they can read your mind. You need to let them in so that they can understand you better and react appropriately.

Easy meals

Take as much off your plate as possible. One of the best tools I have when preparing for a potentially hard or hectic period of time (like winter break) is making sure I have easy meals on hand. Frozen pizza, plenty of chips and cheese for nachos, quick and easy soups, frozen meals, lasagna…

Costco is where it’s at for easy meals! Here’s a list of our favorites! 

I was once told a story about a mom who was struggling with depression and on her very hard days, she would just scrounge up anything she could find for dinner and put it all on a plate in the middle of the table; this could be crackers with lunch meat and cheese, tater tots, chicken nuggets, etc.

She would then go to her room and cry because she felt like a total failure as a mom while her kids picked from this pieced together platter of random food, but when her kids were grown, they told her one day that those dinners happened to be their favorites. She was shocked.

Concerned about getting some vegetables in those tummies? Frozen and canned veggies are your friend! And super yummy with just butter and salt. Ta-da!

Don’t be afraid to keep it simple.

Easy holiday sweets!

Speaking of easy food, let’s talk treats! Are the holidays really holidays without cookies, pies, fudge, ALL the baked goods?!

It really can be so much fun baking with kids; letting them add the ingredients and stir, adoring their cute little faces with flour on their noses! But man, the preparation, the time, the cleanup, can all be such hard work and overwhelming.

Enter premade cookie and cinnamon roll dough, boxed cake and cookie mix, anything from the holiday baking section at the store! It’s something fun to do with not a lot of prep and brain power from you with a sweet reward at the end. Yay, comfort food!

Plan a kid-free day in advance

Even if you don’t feel like you need it right now, I’m sure you’re going to want alone time or time with just your spouse. Book your babysitter and plan a whole day in advance; a hair or nail appointment, a date, lunch with a friend, time at home by yourself, a shopping trip, just a drive to a beautiful place, anything you’ll be excited for.

Having something like this to look forward to will definitely help ease that feeling that you’re in this never-ending loop of the inescapable, 24/7 responsibility that is motherhood.

Keep a regular bedtime routine – for you!

I have a post outlining THE best bedtime routine for stressed out moms here. It’s been a total game changer for my mental health! This is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself, allowing you to unwind and relax, reset for the day to come tomorrow, and set yourself up for a good night’s sleep, which is imperative for mental health.

And the morning?

Get that much needed time to yourself in the morning with an OK to wake clock – Is there anything more frustrating than being woken up before you’re ready to get up for the day? Ugh!

This genius invention of an alarm clock will light up to whatever color you or your kid wants at whatever time you set to let them know when it’s still time for sleeping and when it’s OK to get up.

There’s even one that lights up yellow to let them know that it’s OK to be awake, but stay in your room and have quiet play, then it’ll turn green when they can come out. It’s wonderful. Then you’ll be much more ready to greet them with smiles and open arms when they come to find you, right on queue!

We have two of these clocks. We like them both a lot, but I think I might like this one a little better than this one. However, they’re both great options. You choose what’ll be best for your family.

Cuddle

Cuddling has SO many benefits from improving your mental health by releasing the “feel good”, or “love” hormones, to boosting your immune system! Since this is a special time when your kids are home, make a special effort to cuddle with them. The special connection will benefit you and your kids.

They’ll love some snuggles on the couch with a blanket and a movie, in their bed before you kiss them goodnight (helping you both sleep better!), and/or first thing in the morning. Sometimes, on the mornings I’ve chosen to sleep in, I’ll let mine climb in bed with me when they get up and get our snuggles in first thing.

Here’s a quick and easy article that goes more in depth about the advantages of cuddling on WebMD: The Health Benefits of Cuddling (webmd.com)

Go See The Lights

Get in touch with your inner child by experiencing some magic with the family. Go find a street nearby that is decorated with lots of Christmas lights. This is another great easy and free way to spend your time with your kids and to allow yourself to release the negative. Let those lights awe you and enchant you. Let the magic of the holidays melt your stress away.

Easy Fun!

My kids can’t be entertained by one thing for very long. So on top of the activities I’ve already suggested, I try to have lots of easy things to do on hand, not just a ton of toys that they’re hardly going to touch (and clutter the house).

Here’s a list of some of our favorite simple activities to keep the littles busy:

-Watercolor paints on mini posterboards like these. I’ve found watercolors to be a lot easier to set up and take down than other paints like acrylic, especially when I just spray the color palette to wet the paints instead of setting out cups of water. Andrea Nelson on Instagram has so many easy and kid-friendly watercolor ideas.

-Masking tape. Get multiple colors and make giant webs, streets and parking lots for toy cars, art projects, and so much more. Who knew?! Check this list out for ideas : Over 40 Painters Tape Games and Activities – A girl and a glue gun

-Holiday movie nights. Popcorn, hot chocolate, blankets, cuddling, need I say more?

–Magformers! These are so fun for any age, including adults!

-Go to your library!! Ok, you have to leave the house for this one, but they’ll usually have a kids’ section with toys and I’ll bet you can find a calendar online of your district’s FREE events and activities coming up!

-Have a stuffy/pillow fight. So fun!

-Build a fort

-Stickers/sticker books

-Put littles in the bath with a bath bomb/foam soap

-Have a dance party (exercise is good for mental health!)

-Make paper snowflakes

-Hang Christmas lights inside or turn on a star projector and shut off the lights. Here’s a link to the star projector we have. It actually keeps my kids busy for a while!

You’ve got this!!

Mama, I see you. Heck, I am you. You’re doing your best, and your best is enough. Try not to let the upcoming winter break be daunting, but to look forward to this time knowing that you now have tools in your toolbox to make it truly enjoyable for your kids and for yourself.

Until next time.

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