The end of November is here and the official start to the 2020 holiday season is about to begin. These past eight months have been quite the adjustment in our home, school, and community environments. We’ve had rough days, overwhelming emotions, and now the COVID-19 pandemic is raining on our holiday season parade. Everything is messy this year and it’s getting increasingly more challenging to find motivation and relaxation on all levels. With the days getting longer it’s helpful to take some time to intentionally slow down, rest, recover, and recharge. Children benefit from this as well.

Here are some suggestions to help you squeeze in some much needed self-care:

- Take 3-5 minutes to close your eyes and engage in a brief meditation exercise. Grab a comfy pillow, put on some gentle music, or use the time to have silent break. Moving your body, as in gentle stretching or yoga, can also ease stress for children and adults.

- Take 15 minutes to sit on the floor and play with your child. This can be incredibly soothing for you and them! Try to follow their lead and have fun!

- Take 30 minutes to read a book, build something together as a family, go for a walk, cook a family meal together, etc.

- Take 60 minutes to take an online class of interest (i.e., exercise, yoga, cooking, knitting, webinar, etc.) or use the hour for an individual therapy session.

- Take 90 minutes to watch a feel-good movie. Go one step further – grab a blanket, enjoy a nice cup of hot tea or coffee, and enjoy!

Even though stress can be at an all time high, carving out a little bit of time each day to do something special can make a big difference in improving mental health.

Wishing rest, warmth, and health to you and your family,