Brown School Offers Mindful Advice on Reducing Stress DuringWinter Break
Winter Break can be an exciting but chaotic time. Some families may be celebrating holidays while others are busy traveling, visiting family, working, or taking care of the kids. No matter how one spends winter their break, it can get stressful when kids are home from school and the daily routine changes.
Brown School, an independent school dedicated to mindfully educating its students, provides six tips to mindfully manage winter break.
1. Maintain a consistent schedule and routine
Kids strive when they have consistency and a routine. Although some things might be different during break, try to keep some consistency such as the same bedtime or same morning routine.
2. Keep your kids active
The winter months can be challenging for everyone when the days are cold and it gets dark so early. Kids are used to constantly moving around during the busy school day and extracurricular activities. Try to incorporate some time for your kids to play outside, go for a walk, have a dance party, practice yoga, or watch an exercise video for kids. Anything to get them moving!
3. Have an attitude of gratitude
Focus on the things you are grateful for in your life instead of focusing on the negatives. Try a gratitude circle at the dinner table by asking everyone in your family to share one thing they are grateful for, big or small. It is great for kids to see the adults in their life model gratitude all yearlong.
4. Be flexible and set realistic expectations
Everything will not always go as planned and mistakes will happen. Turn them into positive learning experiences for your children.
5. Practice self-care
Kids feed off the energy of the adults in their lives. Take time for yourself to manage your own stress and emotions. It provides great modeling for your kids and will set the tone for a fun and relaxing winter break.
6. Schedule volunteer time
“It’s better to give than receive” is backed by good research.Kindness helps reduce stress and improve our emotional well-being. For kids, it can be as simple as making a card for the neighbors, pet sitting, or calling a grandparent to let them know they are loved.
