December is a month filled with lots of family time, sweet treats, and unwrapping gifts. It can also be accompanied by exhaustion, burnout, and dread. Throughout the school year there are peaks and valleys in our experiences.

For me, December has always been a valley. Depending on where you live, it’s cold and dark by 4:30pm. School work is piling up for students, to prepare them for mid-term exams right before winter break. Leaving the basketball gym after practice, stepping out into the frigid and dark air was tough, as I would have to drive home and then spend hours completing my homework for that night before I would repeat everything again the following day. This was simply exhausting. My anxiety tended to peak during these times.

Have you ever noticed that your child tends to get sick right after exams, at the beginning of winter break? This is because we tend to push ourselves into overdrive to get everything done on time, and sometimes at the last minute, in order to survive. Once our adrenaline runs out, our bodies completely shut down and our immune systems are lowered.

Winter break needs to serve as a break. Enjoying family celebrations, parties, and hanging out with friends is a fantastic part of winter break, but incorporating intentional rest and relaxation is equally vital.

Eating good, warm meals, taking brisk walks or playing outside, getting your blood pumping, and sticking to a healthy sleep routine over break are all important things you and your child can build into your winter break schedule. This will help with the transition back to school in the new year.

Happy Holidays and have a restful and refreshing December!