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Single moms always have a lot on their plates to keep up with so finding the energy to exercise, and ensure that their kids exercise as well, can be a challenge. Many families fall into a rut during the winter months, but once spring hits …
The holiday season abounds with fun, family, friends, and food in spite of the often colder, blustery weather. However, for some the season presents an emotional challenge that can be hard to overcome. Whether impacted by the loss of a loved one, the stress of a social event, or just the shorter daylight hours, the holidays can lead to serious depression or addiction if stress is not managed appropriately. If you are feeling like the holidays bring more darkness than light, continue reading for some tips to help you through it.
Do something fun. Fun can seem like hard work when you are feeling blue or overwhelmed. It’s often the last thing you think about, and the last solution you want to try. Regardless, it is important to fight the urge to avoid fun, and force yourself into it. Taking a short walk to view the decorations in your neighborhood, making cookies, or joining friends for an open-skate session at your local ice rink may not solve all your problems, but it is sure to relieve at least some stress. Likewise, it’s easy to write off decorating your own space as just another chore, but taking the time to decorate for the holidays can add some sparkle and be uplifting. Even if you are the only one who will see it, the positive impact it will have is worth the time and effort.
Plan a trip to somewhere warmer. While modern travel can certainly add its own layer of stress for the underprepared, the mental health benefits far outweigh the planning efforts involved. Escaping the day to day routine can make you feel refreshed, and ready to start the new year on a positive note. While you can certainly go somewhere that is literally warmer, don’t discount a trip to see family or friends, which can be a great source of stress relief as well. Being around family and friends can give you warm feelings of love and security regardless of the weather outside. Just be sure to avoid spending time with folks who might encourage substance abuse or other non-productive activities as stress management solutions.
Use the weather to your advantage. If you are one of the many people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder this can be especially important, as the condition can quickly snowball out of control and lead to serious issues such as depression and addiction. Prevent the condition from getting worse by getting outside: humans aren’t meant to hibernate, and doing so can worsen your condition. If skiing is outside your budget, don’t be afraid to resort to childhood activities to help you find a way to enjoy the winter weather. Try building a snowman or making a snow angel. If you need affiliation to keep you motivated in the cold try organizing a neighborhood snowball fight, or heading to the local sledding/tubing hill. If physical activities are beyond your means, try sip some hot cocoa while you watch others to enjoy the positive, contagious effects of their laughter.
Keep indulgences to a minimum. Whether that means alcohol or cookies, it’s easy to overdo it during the holidays. With nearly constant access to high calorie foods and drinks at holiday events, it’s important to remember the impact that diet has on both mood and overall health. Establish healthy limits in advance, and create a plan to keep yourself on track. Actively avoiding overindulgence is a good countermeasure for addiction, and helps avoid the holiday weight gain that can cause stress to carry over into the new year.
Making the most of the holidays can be a real challenge when you are feeling down. Whether you are fighting a known ailment or are just down in the dumps this year, remember that you are in charge of the outcome. Force yourself to have some fun, alone or with friends. Press reset by taking a trip, and escaping the routine. Find a way to enjoy the winter weather, instead of hiding from it. Maintain a healthy diet, and avoid addictive substances. By being firm with yourself about the impact that small decisions have on how you feel, you’ll be able to eliminate a significant amount of the stressors that might prevent you from enjoying the wonderful attributes of the holiday season.
Considering a vegetable garden? There are so many benefits, that a lack of interest seems to be the only deterrent, and if reading this article, you already have the interest. It’s hard to find reasons not to try it! Let’s look at some potential benefits: …
Parents, Halloween is on its way. That means costumes, costume parties, corn mazes, pumpkin carving, haunted houses, and a whole lot more will become part of your to-do list. You probably fondly remember all the fun Halloween activities you enjoyed as a kid, and want …
In today’s political climate, families are actively speaking about their beliefs and standing up for their rights. While some protests turn violent in the United States, the majority of them remain peaceful and give parents a venue for showing their children how to use their rights of freedom of speech and assembly responsibly. Raising socially-conscious kids who want to take part in the political process is important to many families, and we offer a few tips for keeping your family safe while attending protests and encouraging them to make positive impacts in the community in addition to protesting.
Of course, the first step in ensuring your family’s safety at a protest is learning as much about the event beforehand. Be sure you research the organizers and understand their mission and plans. Find out how much of a law enforcement presence is expected to attend the protest and whether recent protests in the area have turned violent.
Remind your family that you must stay together and set some ground rules for everyone; for example, you must remain near the back of the protest group instead of up front near law enforcement, you may not throw anything at anyone, and you will use respectful language at all times.
It is important to wear comfortable clothing and shoes to the protest. You will be on your feet and marching or walking for quite some time. You should dress in layers so you are comfortable no matter the weather and reduce exposure to the elements and gas or pepper spray. Keep your face uncovered because face paint, hoods, and masks are often worn by criminals who use the situation as an excuse to vandalize cars and businesses, and you do not want to be mistaken for one.
Only take necessities to the protest, such as a bottle of water and shatter-resistant glasses or sunglasses. If you choose to take your smartphone, be sure that you have security measures in place to protect your identity and prevent someone from getting information about you should you lose it. Avoid taking anything that law enforcement could perceive as a threat or a danger. The last thing you want is your son to be detained because he forgot to take a pocketknife out of his pocket. It’s a good idea to take a zippered bag or backpack with you to prevent losing your belongings or falling victim to a pickpocket.
In addition to protesting for change, you can take steps to positively impact your community in other ways as a family. For example, you can volunteer as a family at a local soup kitchen or animal shelter. You can hold a bake sale or set up a lemonade stand to benefit a local non-profit organization.
Your children can make posters to advertise and hold a canned goods drive in your neighborhood and then help you deliver the collected items to a shelter or food bank in your area. Summer is a great time to work as a family to volunteer, especially because most organizations get more donations during the holidays.
Raising a socially-conscious family also should involve living an eco-conscious life. It’s simple to get kids involved in living a greener life by teaching them about recycling and conserving energy and water at home by turning off lights and faucets when they are not in use. You also could work as a team to create a compost station in your backyard and use your compost for your garden. The possibilities are nearly endless, and your kids can help you research even more ways to live green.
Teaching kids to be active in promoting social and environmental causes is important to a lot of families today. Some of the ways you can go about doing so is protesting safely, taking steps to positively impact your community, and working toward living a greener life.
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