Get Out!

Winter is really tough in this house. It’s a four-bedroom, ranch style house built several decades ago. Since it was built, the garage has been converted into a large bedroom and an even bigger extension was added to the back, blocking all direct sunlight from what is now the middle of the house. That’s where my computer is.

We have a pretty big yard. That’s where we all go to get away from the confines of the house. My middle child and I sometimes garden, my son and the dogs play, and my older daughters like to lounge in hammocks or hide from the rest of us. We also go for walks, go to the park, explore open-spaces, go hiking, and use the quiet road out front for biking. We’re a rather outdoor-oriented family. But no one wants to go outside when it’s cold.

So, we stay inside and drive each other crazy!

We rely heavily on access to the outdoors to keep us functional. Several studies have shown that ADHD symptoms can significantly decrease during and after time spent outdoors, and in nature. (Check it out!) I know it’s true for me, my partner, and our kids, but it’s hard to get us all out among the trees with everything is icy or muddy, windy and cold. I would love to say that we’ve found all kinds of solutions to this problem. We really haven’t.

Here are some things we’ve tried that work (at least a little):

• Getting out on the days when it’s a little warmer and less windy
• Exercising indoors (kids swim and take dance lessons, partner and I lift weights)
• House plants for greenery
• Improved diet (what that means probably varies by person, so I’m not going to try to tell you what to eat)
• Date nights, taking kids out separately, anything to get one or two of us away from the crowded house once in a while
• Leaving! Mini vacations, even just a short drive away, to a place I don’t have to clean!
• Something to look forward to!

This year, our thing to look forward to is a spring break vacation to the Florida Keys for a family reunion/vacation with my partner’s family! I’ve never been to Florida at all, and I haven’t seen the ocean in years. We’re all super excited, which helps us get through the tough days.

Still, even all of the tips and tricks I’ve tried haven’t made me feel as good as longer days, more sunshine, the sound of crickets and cicadas and wind in the trees, and spending all day outside. I miss counting the colors of the flowers, watching the dance of the bees, feeling the grass tickle my feet, and reading books in the sunshine. It’ll be back soon. In the meantime, maybe I’ll try a light therapy lamp?