We are at the final stretch of these winter days. The first day of spring has come and gone, yet the weather hasn’t switched to spring just yet. We go between the beautiful spring teasing days, to the freezing cold what happened to my sunshine days? I don’t know about you, but it’s about February to March that the winter days just start to wear on me. I’m missing the sun. I’m missing being outside. I am tired of feeling like I haven’t seen anything but the walls of my home since the Holidays.
Winter Blues
The Winter Blues are a real thing. I never knew they existed until I spent my first winter as a Stay at Home Mom and realized just how hard it could be. The winter tends to keep us inside more, it’s hard to get out and drag the little ones in the cold. Even if you can manage to get out, the places you can go are limited or you risk having one day of freedom for the next few weeks of sickness. Inside play areas plus winter are the breeding ground for germs no matter how many times you spray Lysol on your child sanitize your child’s hands.
I haven’t found the secret to making it through without having down days, but I’ve definitely found some tricks that help make those long winter days a little more manageable.
Get Dressed.
When you’re home all day this sounds kind of funny, why go through all that trouble and dirty more laundry? Well, you feel frumpy if you dress frumpy. It just doesn’t do much for your mood when your home every day if you don’t take time to get dressed. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. Usually you can find me in leggings or yoga pants and a shirt. But just the change from baggy, sleepy clothes to something that is comfortable, yet a little more put together, makes a huge difference. Just over all can help you feel better about yourself!
Have a routine.
Try to have a general outline to your day. Give yourself some goals to accomplish and take note of things you want to get done. Our schedule is loosely followed, but the routine make a huge difference all around. My kids know what to expect and it makes their behavior ten times better. I feel like I am accomplishing something because my day seems more put together. If I don’t have some sort of routine in place I will end up sitting around and realize it’s almost noon and I haven’t accomplished anything but going crazy as my children create chaos around me. It’s true. I have done it.
Playdates.
Seriously, play dates are your best friend. Invite a friend over when you can and let your kids play and get some adult interaction in. It gives you both a break because your kids have someone else to entertain them! It makes a big difference!
Take a lazy day.
Seriously, give yourself a day off and don’t feel bad about it! Watch some movies with the kids, eat a late breakfast, have more snacks than usual! Some days call for extra rest and you deserve that! It’s such a fun way to make memories with the kids too!
Find something for you.
Take up a hobby, read a few books, color, do something during the winter that helps you focus on yourself. Just taking time to get your mind off the long winter days can really make a difference in how you feel.
Before you know it, those spring days will start to come more and stay a little longer. You’ll get out more, you’ll be at the park or the pool, and you’ll forget how long winter is! We can make it mamas, spring is just around the corner?
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