Winter break is a pause from the usual routine. For parents, differences at this time of year may include kids being home from school, prep for holidays and holiday events, and challenges like working during school closures, getting sick, or traveling in winter weather.
Unfortunately, winter break often means straying from healthy habits. The first post in this series talked about eating well, staying active, and hydrating during winter break. We also talked about maintaining mental health by establishing priorities and sticking to them. This post talks about supporting health with immune support, daily structure, healthy sleep, and responsible screen time. It’s worth it to take a few steps to support health during this winter break!
Supporting Immune Health During Winter Break
Winter break falls within peak cold and flu season, and COVID-19 is still a threat. Travel and gatherings like holiday parties and family reunions can increase the spread.
Here are simple tips to boost your immunity and reduce the spread of infections.
- Wash your hands properly before eating, after using the bathroom, and when coming back inside after going out.
- Get recommended vaccines, such as for the flu and COVID-19.
- Consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for vitamin C and other nutrients.
- Stay hydrated with water, tea, or other low-calorie beverages.
- Get enough sleep and physical activity.
- Wear a mask when around others.
Remember to assess risk before attending gatherings. If you or someone in your household is at higher risk for more serious illnesses, consider wearing masks or skipping the event. Similarly, be considerate if you’re planning to visit higher-risk individuals like grandparents. Inform them if you or your children are ill, and let them decide whether they still want you to come or if they want you to mask up.
Keep in mind that most colds aren’t serious. Kids are likely to get sick sometimes, just like grown-ups. Contact your child’s pediatrician if you have concerns.
Sleep: An Underrated Winter Break Health Habit
Parents already know that sleep is critical for mood and behavior; tired children are no fun to manage. Sleep also boosts immunity, energy, and ability to think. Winter break is a great time to get more sleep for several reasons.
- It’s easier to set aside time for a bedtime routine when kids aren’t swamped with homework.
- Days are shorter, so it gets dark earlier in the evening and stays dark later in the morning – perfect for sleeping!
- There’s more ability to sleep in when you’re not rushing to gather kids, clothes, lunches, and homework, and get them off to school on time.
For best results, keep bedtime to within an hour of bedtime during the school year. That makes it easier to go back to school without causing sleep deprivation. Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule also makes it easier to get to sleep and fall asleep, so it’s easier to get adequate high-quality sleep.
Also maintain habits like turning off screens at least 30 minutes before bed, having a bedtime routine that’s consistent, and being active during the day so kids are ready to sleep at night.
Maintaining a Loose Daily Schedule Without Over-Scheduling
Winter break offers the chance to be less strict with your schedule. You don’t have to drop the kids off early at school. They may not have certain after-school activities to attend. Work hours may be less rigid.
With extra flexibility, it can be tempting to let go of a schedule completely, but that can be a mistake. While some people perceive schedules as limiting, I like to think of them as liberating. Here’s why having a set schedule can be liberating.
- It reduces decision fatigue because you’ve already decided when many events – like meals and bedtime – will occur.
- It gives you control over your time because it lets you set aside time for what’s important to you, such as work, specific events, working out, and family time.
- It lets offers kids predictability and stability, which lets kids thrive and feel secure
- It lets kids see that you’ve set aside time for what they want, like screen time or play time
To create a schedule that doesn’t make you feel trapped, start with a few anchor events to establish and maintain a daily rhythm. They may include:
- Bedtime (and a bedtime routine before that)
- Meal times
- Outdoor times
- Nap time (if you have younger children)
Depending on your needs and the ages of your children, other items in the daily schedule may include reading time, screen time, family play time, and quiet individual play time (when you can work if needed).
See how your schedule works for a few days, then tweak it if needed.
Screen Time: Set Boundaries That Actually Work
Each family has different norms around screen time: how much, when, and what’s okay to do or watch. Ipads and other tablets, laptops, phones, and smart watches are abundant in most households nowadays, and they act like kid magnets.
During vacation, it’s important to set boundaries that meet your needs. Usually, there’s a conflict between parents wanting to reduce kids’ screen time versus kids wanting to watch more and parents needing a way to entertain kids without them.
When you set boundaries for screen time, consider these aspects.
- How many hours are okay per day or week.
- Which device(s) your child will have access to.
- Which guardrails you’ll put in place, such as supervising your child during screen time, using the device together with your child, or activating a child mode on the device.
- What your child may do with the device, such as doing educational programs, playing interactive games, or watching videos.
Whatever rules you set, stick to them just like you stick to any other rules in your household. Here are some rules you might consider.
- A maximum of two hours of screen time a day.
- No screen time until after a certain amount of active time and reading or other educational activity.
- The child must get your approval for each new activity, such as a new game or video.
- The child must take vision and active breaks every 30 minutes, like running around the house for 1-2 minutes without looking at a screen.
All screens should be turned off for the bedtime routine.
Keep in mind that everyone needs a break – maybe even you. If the only way you can get a break and prevent a breakdown is to give your child more screen time, it’s okay. They’ll survive, and you need to, too.
Winter break and the holidays can be both happy and healthy, but it can take some planning and tricks to make it happen. How do you stay healthy during this time?