Spring Ahead and Managing Transitions, Changes, and Mental Health for you and your children
- Ella Witherite
- Mar 23
- 3 min read
With daylight savings time and the first day of spring, March is full of changes. With the time shift comes a change in routines, with the nicer weather comes transitions like school ending for the semester.
There are multiple ways to help yourself and your child adjust to the new time and seasons and support both your and their mental health. Families can build new rituals into existing routines. Things like cleaning and decluttering, keeping consistent schedules, and spending time outside can set meaningful skill goals for yourself and your children.
“Spring cleaning” can be taken literally! Cleaning and decluttering your household is a way to have control over a situation that feels out of your control (that lost hour of sleep is hard on everyone). Cleaning and decluttering can be tailored to the individual and can support a transitionary period by giving an “object” to transform, rather than something abstract like “seasons” that are out of our control. Developing cleaning and decluttering routines with your kids can help them feel more grounded, as well teach them valuable life skills for when they live on their own. Going through old things and getting rid of them to make way for the new also helps teach children to learn to let go, while also processing the idea of transitions and changes. If you struggle with executive dysfunctioning, creating a “Spring Cleaning List” with detailed steps for each room of the house can help reduce the task load and keep you on track.
It can feel hard to keep a consistent schedule after daylight savings time starts. However, it is best to keep the “times” of everything in your schedule the same, regardless of the extra sunlight. Investing in light blocking curtains and keeping the same bed time routines at a consistent time will help you and children keep your circadian rhythm adjust quickly to the time change.
With the increase in sunlight and warmer temperatures, it is important to get outside! Adding in time for sunlight, movement and fresh air, will also help with adjusting circadian rhythms in both children and adults alike. Warmer temperatures and sunlight can lead to a positive increase in mood. According to the Cleveland Clinic, getting 10-30 minutes a day of direct sunlight on your skin increases your vitamin D, which is associated with:
Strong bones
A healthy immune system
Better mood
Cardiovascular health
Good muscle function
All of these are important for children's and adult’s health both physically and mentally. Being outside in nature, getting sunlight and fresh air, and moving our bodies all have been shown to reduce depressive symptoms and increase serotonin. Adding in healthy movement outside is another meaningful life skill to teach your children as well, due to all the benefits. Enrolling children in sports can provide an increase in structure, especially with the school year ending, or it can be something as simple as a daily walk around the neighborhood after dinner. Remember to always wear sunscreen, and drink enough water as the sun is out more and temperatures rise!
This spring, “spring ahead” and use this time of change and transition to not only help develop different meaningful life skills, but also adapt your routines with the above suggestions to make this time of transition and change easier on everyone.
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