An Effort to Get Outside…Even When It’s Cold

I tend to get in a funk during winter. The holidays are wonderful, but the short days and the cold make me want to hibernate until spring. I’ve never liked the cold, and I get cabin fever when I’m cooped up inside for too long. Yet it takes so much energy and motivation and bundling up to get out into the cold, especially when you’ve got kiddos to bundle and keep warm and dry and happy. Not to mention keeping track of the darn mittens.

Even though I hate the cold, my 2-year-old loves being outside. So much so that we’ve had to install a lock on the door so that she can’t open it to get outside. The cold doesn’t seem to bother her at all, so I’ve decided that I just need to bundle up, suck it up, and enjoy the great outdoors—even in the winter. It snowed already this year, and we had so much fun outside, throwing snowballs for the dog (who didn’t understand where they disappeared) and building snowmen (me) that got knocked down (thanks to the kid and the dog). It was fun. The fresh air felt good. And, yes, it was cold. But then we got to come inside!

So I’ve decided to adopt a “just do it” kind of attitude this winter. I’m going to try to get out once a day, whether it’s to run around the backyard, take a walk with the stroller or head to the gym. Some trips may be colder and therefore shorter than others, but it’ll keep us active and in shape…and ready for spring!

How do you avoid feeling cooped up with the kids in winter? —Erin