5 Steps to Keeping Structure (and Sanity) this Winter Break

Holiday Break with littles is VERY different from Holiday Break of years past (aka my 20’s). When the kids are home from school for an extended period of time, the days can easily run into each other. You might not be very busy, but you still might feel chaotic and frazzled. We can lose ourselves without the structure of a typical day or week.

To remedy that chaos,I suggest setting your family up with a very simple formula to add just a tiny bit of structure to that Holiday Break. The goal is for a break to still feel like a break. The week is special to me, I like that it feels sort of like “no-man’s land.” BUT I also know myself - I WILL lose my mind if I let the kids run ragged from December 23 - January 2.

My challenge for you is to create a simple plan. This will take you 5 uninterrupted minutes - so maybe wait until after bedtime or during naps so you can dedicate some brain-space to just get it done!

Step 1: Calendar Check

Grab your family calendar and mark off the days you are all home on “break.” This looks different for everyone, but jot it down. Mark the days you are celebrating and any travel.

Step 2: Pick a Free Day

Think pajamas all day, movies, new toys everywhere…just a total guilt-free, go with the flow day. I usually reserve December 26th for this (and maybe Jan. 1, t!)

Step 3: Adventure Day

This can be a big or small adventure, but something to look forward to. Plan a visit to a museum, the zoo, a nearby city, or a drive around looking holiday lights and sipping hot chocolate. What does your family enjoy? This could even become a holiday break tradition.

Step 4: Schedule

Create a loose “schedule” for all the rest of the days. What is important to include in your days? Reading time? Rest time? Outdoor walks? Crafts and fun learning activities? Create a space for all of those things, plus free play, errands, and small trips outside of the house (Target, the library, etc.).

Step 5: Post

Use a piece of paper or a dry-erase board each day to write down the schedule. Nothing fancy. But you can refer to it with the kids or your partner when things feel like they are going off the rails. The daily schedule brainstorm is something you can create in a word document, print and refer to, and then edit each day on your whiteboard.

What is important to remember is that this is a tool to HELP, but if you want to change your mind about the schedule, do it! This is for you and your family.