I have three kids and live in the west of Ireland. It rains nonstop, and we spend half of the year without sunlight. I know what I’m talking about. Here are my life-saving hacks to make it through the darkest, coldest days of the year with little children. I hope you find some fresh ideas.
At the start of 2024, I began enforcing mandatory backyard time, typically around 3pm. To kick it off, bribery was involved, by way of an ice lolly, and it worked without fail. The kids donned their wellies and raincoats and out they went. At first, they would seek out shelter under the eaves of the shed while they ate their ice pop. They could withstand the wet and wind for 10 – 15 minutes before asking to come back inside. But every day, I persevered in sending them outside, no matter the weather. Before long, 15 minutes turned into 2 hours of fun — playing in puddles, making mud pies, and going on expeditions. Now, they ask to go outside, and nothing deters them except for really extreme weather. Ice cream is still part of the deal, but it’s a small price to pay for some peace and quiet while I tidy up before dinnertime. When it’s time to come inside, I welcome them with a warm bath and clean pyjamas. Win win win.
If those dark wintery evenings arrive and your kids can’t play outside, search for ‘classical music ocean’ on YouTube. You’ll find beautiful underwater footage and calming background music. Whenever my kids have had enough cartoon time, I put this on, and they magically start playing with their toys – no complaints. Works every time.
Picnic dinners on the floor are another fun surprise to keep kids content and keep everybody sane. Every now and again, I make the kids a snack dinner, which usually looks like cheesy toasties, blueberries, and maybe some bacon. We sit on a blanket and watch cartoons. It’s very simple but the novelty hasn’t worn off yet. This hack is especially useful during solo parenting and you need to make it to bedtime by yourself.
Get them into pyjamas before dinner. Sometimes we all troop upstairs, and the change of scenery livens things up. Or I bring the jammies downstairs if it’s more convenient. It signals that bedtime is coming. I am team “it’s time for bed when it gets dark,” and fast-tracking the pyjama situation will occasionally result in an earlier bedtime.
If garden time doesn’t happen and we’re all feeling cooped up, an evening walk is a great tool for getting the kids to bedtime without losing your mind. After dinner is eaten, my husband takes care of hats, coats, and shoes while I wash up the dishes. Then we strap the younger ones into the pram and go for a walk in the dark. We live in an urban area with street lighting, so it’s not unusual to see people outside walking their pets after work. The cold air tires them out, and then it’s straight upstairs for story time when we get home.
Eating dinner by candlelight is an oldie but a goodie. My kids love turning off all the lights and lighting some candles. I’ve found this to be very useful when I want everyone to calm down. Like moths to a flame, they gather around the table and eat dinner with minimal monkey behaviour. It brings us even closer together, but in a serene way, not a mad-house way.
