We have been very fortunate this winter, the temperatures have been mild and there has been very little snow. Now it’s getting cold and the snow is starting.
As a single mother being cooped up in the house in the winter time can seem like the worst form of torture. Your kids have no way to get rid of all that energy they seem to have an unlimited supply of and you have no one to give you a break from all that energy.
It’s tempting to turn on the TV or let the kids play hours of mindless video games but in the long run, that just makes parenting harder. You have to be creative and get the kids involved in something while trying to maintain your sanity.
If your kids are old enough a huge puzzle that can be worked on as a family will help fill some of that time. Not all kids like puzzles but for the ones who do it can be an entertaining way to spend some time together.
Telling stories together is also a great way to spend an evening. One person can start the story and it can go around the room, with everyone adding something to it. The kids will be laughing at what they come up with. Storytelling is also a calm activity for those times when you just want them to sit still for five minutes.
Another fun, creative thing is to get some big boxes, you can usually ask stores to keep them for you, bring them home, set them up, give the kids some watercolor paints and let them decorate their castle. Yes this takes up a lot of room but the kids will play inside these boxes for hours, effectively entertaining themselves while you sit for a minute and relax.
If you have kids who need to burn off some energy, turn on the radio and let everyone dance around the room. You can do it follow the leader style or just let everyone do their own thing. This works best with little ones as kids get more self conscious as they get older. As a bonus, Mom gets a little exercise too.
When all else fails find a good video, something classic and snuggle in front of the TV together. Thankfully winter doesn’t last forever and before you know it the kids will want to be outside every day so enjoy this little extra snuggle time, even if it does mean you barely have a minute to yourself.