Preventing the Post-holiday Blues
As a parent, I both love and loathe the end of the calendar year. My family celebrates three birthdays sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a very busy time of year filled with anticipation, joy, and lots of family time. But any season with lots of celebrations can be hard for kids, it takes them out of their routines and allows them to focus on having fun and celebrating, but when the fun is all done, they can feel let down. Like many families, “post-holiday blues” hits our family in January thanks to the end of celebrations, shorter days, colder weather, and returning to school after the winter break.
As my kids grow, I’m learning what I can do – even before the holidays start – to prevent the January downfall. Here are some examples to help soften kids’ comedown from any celebration.
Stick with routines. Even during vacations or when your family is celebrating, it can help to keep children to their usual routines as much as possible. Sticking to regular wake and sleep times through the winter break for example, can help children get “back in the groove” after the holidays. It also helps to have them continue to do their regular chores.
Rethink how you give. Gifting “experiences” or IOUs helps the excitement continue beyond the celebration day. While opening an “IOU” isn’t as exciting as a brand-new toy, having an event to look forward to after the holidays can help prevent that post-holiday “crash.”
- An IOU could be a promise to spend an entire afternoon playing games. It could also be a plan to go to the zoo or a fun museum.
- Gifts don’t have to be tangible (items) or pricey trips. Memorable family time can be a very precious gift that kids can remember as they grow older much more than a toy they unwrap. You could consider scheduling a family pottery or cooking class.
- Wrapping the IOU in a box, including balloons, or a representative trinket can make unwrapping a future experience gift more fun.
Get your boots and coat and go outdoors together! Regardless of the weather, being outdoors with your kids and moving your body boosts moods any time of year.
Re-frame holidays for kids as a time to give, rather than just receive.
- Give the gift of your time to others. Volunteering with your kids in the community is completely free, and so rewarding. (It also checks the box above for “memorable family time”!)
- Participate in a holiday toy drive where your kids get to pick out a toy for anotherchild can help them understand the “joy of giving”. While my kids would throw fits as a toddler that they didn’t get the toy we were buying, now by school age they are now asking about to this tradition.
Learn about other holidays celebrated by friends or neighbors. There are holidays throughout the year celebrated by many cultures. Consider learning more about these holidays from others in your community who celebrate them. Regardless of your family’s religious beliefs, learning about the cultural aspects of these celebrations is a great way to spread joy throughout the year. It also encourages your own kids to learn more about the diverse world they are a part of.
How do I know if my child has more than the “post-holiday blues”?
“Blues” are a common form of low mood. “The blues” are usually temporary, lasting a few days up to 2 weeks. Even if their moods are lower, kids experiencing “the post-holiday blues” can do their daily activities. For example, while it may be hard to get your child to school on the first day after winter break, once they’re there and in class, they get back to normal.
Depression is more intense than the blues and lasts for longer, significantly interfering with relationships, school, and activities. If you have any concerns about depression for your child or yourself at any time of year, please contact your pediatrician.
Featured Author
Dr. Lindsay Frost's biography reads: I joined the pediatrics team at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento in 2018 to help kids thrive. Outpatient pediatrics is a unique and rewarding medical specialty. I enjoy being able to foster long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing care in both health and illness as children grow. I believe that it is important to truly partner in health care with patients and their families; this allows not only for the best possible care but also for me to continue to learn and grow as a pediatrician. A professional interest of mine is to support breastfeeding families as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). During my medical training, I also pursued a degree in public health/health promotion - a field which applies to every patient visit in pediatrics. Yet, some of my most relevant experiences as a pediatrician has come from my two children, who have “trained” me first-hand on the challenges of parenthood and in finding the balance between evidence-based recommendations and reality to achieve optimal childhood growth and development. Being part of Kaiser Permanente allows physicians and patients access to integrated care and resources that are not readily available with other health systems. Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to preventive care is also an important piece of my personal care philosophy. I am proud to be part of the team at South Sacramento and I look forward to getting to know you and your family.
Read more at https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/providers/lindsayfrost Disclaimer: If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder. This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.