Transitions: Help Your Kids with Winter Break

After the mad rush of the holiday festivities, a lot of us can feel let down. Don't forget to mind the mood of your kids and help them make the most of this quiet time to recharge their batteries. It's great to keep our kids occupied, involved and give them a sense of belonging. My teenager performed in A.C.T.'s A Christmas Carol this season. It was exhilarating but exhausting for everyone. I thought she would welcome the down time after the show was over to just kick back, relax and "veg out" for a while. Instead, last night she was wallowing on the living room floor, moaning, "My life is over...I feel like an empty tube of lip gloss...I have nothing to live for...". Well, it's not for nothing I got my little Drama Queen into acting...

But seriously, January is a peak month for depression. We tend to feel our losses more acutely. We offer these tips to help kids make the most of their winter break and get ready to return to their hectic routines refreshed:

• Eat a balanced diet to boost energy and promote sleep and a sense of well being
• Talk about your feelings of sadness, loss, people you miss with loved ones and friends
• Get out of doors and take a walk in a Green Space for an hour every day.

The National Wildlife Federation is concerned that we are raising the first generation of Americans who are disconnected from nature - the plugged in generation. Plugged into cell phones, computers, TV, IPods and completely out of touch with the beauties of nature. A Green Hour - an hour spent outdoors in unstructured play everyday helps kids get stronger, healthier, fitter, happier. It reduces stress, enhances creativity and imagination and improves sleep.

Thank you cmeaux for use of photo of Little boy with geese!