Happiness, Health and Being Home over the Holidays
The winter holiday season can be a magical time of year. For many parents, however, it can feel like a long time for kids to be home from school! When routines change over winter break, it can be harder to stick to healthy habits, and both parents and kids may feel the effects on their moods and physical health. Here are a few ideas to help get through this season!
Fill kids’ bellies with healthy foods
Holiday celebrations often lead to New Year’s resolutions because it’s easy to let healthy habits slip this time of year. From hot chocolate to cookies, cakes, and candies, holiday parties and family get-togethers are filled with sweet treats for everyone, kids and grown-ups alike. Consider setting goals for healthy habits with your family before the holidays this year, rather than making resolutions after. Some ways you can put those healthy intentions into action:
- Eat a healthy meal full of protein and fiber before going to an event with desserts.
- Add a healthy touch to the party’s menu by bringing a fruit plate or salad, giving guests more wholesome choices.
- Try swapping out edible gifts for small trinkets or IOUs for fun experiences for everyone on your list.
Stay active despite bad weather
Being cooped up in the house gets tiring for parents and kids alike. It can affect both mental and physical health when storms hit and you’re stuck indoors. Try to find outdoor activities that take advantage of winter weather. Making games out of the elements can bring fun to dreary conditions.
- Is it snowy outdoors? Skiing, snowshoeing, having a snowball fight, or building a snowman are great family activities to have fun in the cold and get your body moving.
- Is it pouring rain? Put on rain boots and a raincoat and see who can make the biggest splash stomping in puddles.
- Truly stuck indoors? Keep everyone active and entertained with an indoor obstacle course, a dance party, a scavenger hunt, or “Minute to Win It” challenges.
Skip the screen time
When there is unscheduled time, my kids tend to default to digital devices. As parents, we must make conscious efforts in our “digital age” to redirect their perceived boredom. Controlling screen time can be as simple as hiding the TV remote, or as advanced as using device parental controls to limit time on apps and devices. This winter break, I hope to stay ahead of the screen time struggle by being present with my kids – inviting them to play together and take part in holiday traditions like wrapping gifts, cooking, and decorating.
Be smart about sleep routines for your family
I’ll be honest, strict bedtimes are hard to stick to over the holidays in our house. We’ll inevitably wake up early at least once for travel, and kids refuse to sleep in when excited about what’s under our Christmas tree. Holiday parties and a lack of routines can also keep everyone up late. But this is one time of year when making family memories feels worth it for us to bend the sleep routine.
What I do commit to at home is working back towards a regular sleep schedule at least a few days before returning to school. Just as traveling across time zones causes jet lag, staying up late and sleeping in over winter break can make it much harder to get kids up and alert for the first day back to school in January. Here’s how:
- Pick a specific day on the calendar to begin easing back into a regular sleep and wake schedule.
- Plan for about one day of adjustment for each hour you need to shift bedtime earlier. For example, if your child’s usual bedtime is 8 p.m. but they’ve been staying up until 10 p.m. during the break, expect it to take at least 2 days to gradually move bedtime back to 8 p.m. before school starts again.
By focusing on healthy habits, staying active, and being present with our families, we can make the winter holidays a time of true happiness, health, and connection at home.
Resources for Parents
American Academy of Pediatrics
Managing School Holidays and Vacations
10 Non-Tech Holiday Gift Ideas to Promote Kids’ Language & Learning
Featured Author
Dr. Lindsay Frost's biography reads: I joined the pediatrics team at Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento in 2018 to help kids thrive. During my medical training, I pursued a Masters degree in public health and health promotion. I enjoy being able to foster long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing care in both health and illness as children grow. Some of my most relevant experiences as a pediatrician have come from my two children, who have “trained” me first-hand on the challenges of parenthood.
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.