News
Fighting the New Year Blues
By Casey Caldwell Santos ’08, Middle School Counselor
I love the energy and feelings that a new year brings. For a precious few days, I feel like I can really take on the world. Unfortunately, I find that the “New Year energy” often fades as quickly as it comes. I know I’m not alone in this experience; I notice that this happens for many of our girls, too. While the holiday season is bursting at the seams with joy and love (and sugar!), January sometimes feels as gray on the inside as it tends to look on the outside.
Helping your girl brighten up the gray and fight the “hibernation response” can feel daunting, but there are a few tried and true tips that I think you’ll find helpful and easy to implement for her.
- Help your girl keep good boundaries around sleep time by limiting technology use in the evening and helping her wind down at an appropriate time. Middle schoolers aren’t too cool for a set bedtime!
- Get her outside. Natural light has great mood-boosting effects, even on the gray January days.
- Help her find something active that she loves. Anything from a short YouTube yoga video to a regular sports practice will have a positive impact.
- Help her stay socially connected with friends by working friend time into your weekly schedule.
Lastly, practicing a little gratitude can go a long way, and family sharing at the dinner table or in the car on the way to a sports practice are great settings to do so. In reflection, today I am grateful for my family, grace-giving coworkers, and the joy and laughter that your sweet daughters bring to our GPS community. What about you?
