Often called the “winter blues,” the period in January after all the holiday festivities are over is hard for a lot of people to get through. For young children, the added confusion of the sharp change in their emotions make for an especially fraught season.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Jody Baumstein, a Strong4Life licensed therapist, says parents should be proactive in supporting their kids’ mental health, especially during the month of January.
“What we know is that behavior is communication,” Baumstein told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . “So [kids are] trying to communicate something.”
Urging parents to look out for low energy levels, particularly sluggishness or “a little bit of irritability,” Baumstein advises parents to not make assumptions about their kids’ mental health.
Many mental health issues can be weather related, but “it might not have anything to do with the fact that it’s the winter time,” and “maybe there’s something that they haven’t shared with you that’s affecting them,” said Baumstein.
“The main message here is that we have to be curious about what they’re trying to communicate and not make assumptions,” Baumstein said.
Families can work together to maintain everyone’s general well-being through “proactive maintenance strategies,” Baumstein said.
Families should make sure everyone is getting good quality nutrition, plenty of physical activity and good sleep.
“It’s going to help us keep our emotions in check. We’re going to be more regulated. We’re going to be less stressed,” Baumstein told the AJC.
Parents should also try to be cognizant of how much screen time their children have, Baumstein warns, because they’re likely not getting the quality sleep we really need because of “looking at screens so close to bedtime.”
Some mental health issues need to be dealt with outside of the home, Baumstein acknowledges, and believes parents should trust their instincts on such matters.
“Somebody else might disagree with you. That is OK,” Baumstein said. “You have to trust your instincts here, and if something feels off, trust that.”
“We all will have ups and downs, but we’re starting to be concerned about something if it’s impacting a child’s ability to function,” Baumstein said.
Baumstein recommends starting by addressing the issue with your child’s pediatrician, if “you have a great relationship and trust them.” If you don’t have that relationship with your child’s pediatrician, start with a consultation with a licensed mental health professional.
Whether your family seems to be moving smoothly in the face of “winter blues” or really starting to struggle, it is never too early to implement effective strategies to help everyone regulate their moods no matter the season.
Maintain simple routines
Make sure the members of your family all feel they have a routine they know how to follow, as this will be better for their emotional regulation.
“This creates a sense of predictability and allows the whole family, kids and grown-ups alike, to feel comforted and secure,” Children’s said in a statement about this season. “Maintaining routines can be as simple as having consistent mealtimes, wake times and bedtimes.”
Regularly check in and talk openly about feelings
You should be a safe space for your children to talk about whatever is bothering them. Whether it truly is weather related, or stems from something else, all emotions must be open for discussion.
“We’re showing them that we can handle it and that nothing is too big and overwhelming and scary for us,” Baumstein told the AJC.
She went on to describe the added benefit of actually having “a chance to understand what’s happening.”
Teach and practice healthy coping strategies
Before the emotions truly feel out-of-hand, it is good to teach and practice healthy coping strategies for your family.
“When we’re heightened emotionally, we can’t learn something,” Baumstein advised. “Practice this stuff when you’re completely calm.”
Not every coping strategy will work for every emotion, however.
“For example,” Baumstein explained, “sometimes if we’re feeling down, we need to do something that’s up-regulating. Deep breaths are probably not going to be super helpful in that moment.”
She instead recommends a coping strategy that is energizing, like going for a walk.
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