News and blogs

Winter Wellbeing for parents and young children

Welcome winter in

Try to embrace the natural change in the seasons and look for positives such as creating cosy moments for cuddles with warm blankets, fairy lights and candles. Create nourishing rituals like making soup or warm drinks and looking at books together. Reframing our mindset to look for the positives is a great way to model self-compassion for our children.

Get as much daylight as you can

Getting outside in the fresh air helps regulate our mood and our sleep. Just 10 to 30 minutes of daylight will boost the whole family’s energy. If you are outside for longer, in very cold conditions, check for signs of cold stress such as pale skin and shivering. Equip your family with warm or waterproof clothing and boots so you can splash in puddles or have snowball fights to burn off energy.

Practical dressing for the cold

Layers are our friends: Multiple thin layers trap heat better than one thick one and make it easier to adjust our temperature if different spaces in our homes vary in temperature; it could be worth investing in base layers and definitely windproof/waterproof outer layers.

Car Seat Safety: Remember to remove thick coats before strapping children in; it is much safer to add a lighter layer or blanket over them, once they are buckled in.

Keep dry: Change wet clothing as soon as possible; dampness draws heat away from the body.

Get organised: Set up a winter storage box so you have all the fluffy socks, mittens, hats and scarves in one place when you need them.

Collect ideas for indoor activities

Planning some fun activities for your family that keep little ones occupied, while avoiding excessive screen-time, is a must. Here are some ideas to get started:

• Put on a favourite playlist and have a dance party; musical statues is a classic.
• Build indoor dens with sheets and blankets, make a picnic tea and read stories.
• Go on an indoor treasure hunt; items to hide include things to craft or bake with.
• Have a puzzles or games afternoon.
• Dress up as your favourite animals and create a mini-obstacle course around your home.
• Store old magazines and catalogues for a cutting and sticking activity; make your own game of picture bingo.

• Sensory play activities (find some suggestions for homemade activities here).
• Do a mini work-out or yoga exercises together; a sun salutation seems appropriate!

Look after yourself

Practicing self-care makes you a better parent; less stressed and more able to deal with life events. Nurture yourself in whatever way you can, from a catch up with friends over coffee to a (child-free!) soak in the bath. It doesn’t need to be a complicated or costly moment; the fact of committing to prioritising ourselves is what boosts our self-worth. Some parents find apps with short meditations help them practice gratitude; for others simply noticing small positives every day makes a difference. Creating routines often helps build emotional stability for parents and children; a simple structure to the day can be surprisingly freeing. At this time of year especially, we can help ourselves by lowering unrealistic expectations and simplifying our days.

Stay connected and ask for help

Keep in touch with friends and family by scheduling calls or meetups to avoid feeling isolated. Friends with children will be all too happy to join up for energy-burning activities. It can be hard to admit we are finding things tough but most parents are experiencing the same feeling of ‘making it up as we go along’ and will want to share and support one another.

We should never hesitate to reach out to our GP or a professional if we are struggling. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mental health condition with treatment options; contact your GP to find out more. For the rest of us, we can take heart that the days are slowly getting longer and there are even green shoots appearing in the ground, with the promise of warmer, brighter days ahead.