As we approach winter break, the Health and Wellness center is here to support PSD families. This is normally a time when our children are spending more time at home after being in school to focus on their friends and family. Like everything else this year, we know that winter break is different in 2020. Most of our children have been at home instead of being at school physically and may not be feeling that same excitement for winter vacation as they are being asked to stay home for COVID-19. Taking breaks and vacations are vital for our mental and physical health and staying connected to our friends and family is not something we have to skip from home.

Here are some holiday tips to help remind your children to take a break this holiday season and stay connected to friends and family from home.

  1. Encourage time outside and away from screens. Taking breaks from screens in the top priority this season. Sledding, neighborhood walks, and holiday crafts outside are our top recommendation to ensure our children stay active while they have a break from virtual school work. Model these behaviors with your children by suggesting a game or art project or planning family activities in the yard or neighborhood. Maybe switch out gingerbread and build a holiday home from using found objects from a neighborhood walk!
  2. Write cards and send pictures to family and friends who you cannot see. Everyone enjoys getting mail! Remind your children that what they are doing is still important to your friends and family and writing letters is a creative activity that helps them do that. Encouraging your children to write and craft will keep their brain active and remind them that their friends and family care even if they are far away. Most of us have been taking pictures of how we have stayed busy this past year. Print you pictures at your local photo processing place and add them to the letter. For little ones, help them paste pictures to paper so they can decorate the cards before you send them off as another great craft idea!
  3. Remind your children to call friends and facetime. Socializing in creative and safe ways takes imagination while we limit being in each other’s physical space. Coordinate with a parent/caregiver of one of your children’s friends to buy a board game like battle ship so they can play virtually while still engaging in a tactile game outside of the screen.

No matter what you decide to do over winter break, the Health and Wellness Center hopes you and your family stay safe this holiday season and wish you a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!