The After-Holiday Blues

Forget what they say about April. January is the cruelest month when you’re a mom with a bad case of the post-holiday blahs and your kids are going through some holiday withdrawal of their own. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to combat the collective cabin fever as you start the countdown to spring. Here are a few tips.

Join forces with other moms. In times of stress, moms are biologically driven to seek out the company of other moms. It happens in every culture and in every society; it even happens in other animal species. It doesn’t matter whether you find support by joining a mom’ group, connecting with other moms via the Internet, or picking up the phone and chatting with your best mom friend: what matters is that you find that support somewhere.

Give yourself a break—literally. Take regular breaks from your kids so that you can enjoy the pause that refreshes. If you’re short on cash, do a childcare swap with another mom you trust so that you can each have a chance to recharge your batteries. Or take advantage of a community program that features free or almost-free childcare.

Get your body moving. Crank up some tunes and have an indoor dance party with your kids. Dig out everyone’s bathing suits and hit an local indoor pool to swim a few laps. Or challenge the neighbours to a snowman making competition. While you’re busy having fun being active, the blahs may very well decide to go into hibernation.