3 Ways Single Moms Can Beat Winter Blues

Nearly 150 days separate the last day of the winter holidays from the first unofficial day of summer – Memorial Day. After holiday decorations get packed away, and winter sets in, it’s not uncommon to experience a touch – or more – of winter boredom.

Some people may find themselves in a rut during those long 150 days. Fortunately, a number of tactics can help perk up your spirits. Here is a handful to consider as you enter 2014:

Escape the routine

Traveling during winter has many benefits. In many areas of the country, winter months are slower business times for hotels and resorts, and you may find great deals. What’s more, breaking up the routine and going somewhere new and exciting – or relaxing – may help alleviate winter blues.

Immersing yourself in relaxation and pampering could be just what you need to release winter tensions. Places like The American Club resort in the quaint Village of Kohler, Wis., offers luxurious accommodations and the opportunity to step outside the winter routine. The newly renovated Carriage House sits above the five-star Kohler Waters Spa. Owned by Kohler Co., the leading manufacturer of bathing products, it’s no surprise the spa is renowned for its cutting-edge bathing and hydrotherapy services.

Such destinations offer you the opportunity to immerse yourself in luxury and do absolutely nothing, or get your blood pumping with all the exciting attractions, activities and culinary experiences at the resort and surrounding area.

Refresh your environment

Travel isn’t always possible, but you can still experience a change in perspective when you make changes in your home environment. Kitchen and bathroom renovations are top choices and winter is a great time to tackle those projects.

If you have the budget, by all means – go big. But if your budget is more modest, don’t despair; even small changes like new shower heads, faucets and accessories can give a room a spirit-lifting new look and feel. Doubt the power of a shower head to transform a bath? Consider the KOHLER Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. Its wireless speaker pairs with devices enabled with Bluetooth technology, offering a delightful and energizing showering experience. Available in four new colors (Chartreuse, Retro Blue, Navy Blue or Cherry Red), this showerhead will not only provide new decor but also an upgraded showering experience.

Make your own holidays

Who says you have to limit spirit-lifting celebrations to specific days of the year? If gathering with family and friends around the dinner table makes you happy, why not choose one day a month and have everyone over? Decorate for a theme that you enjoy – such as the beach or even the Fourth of July in January.

Celebrate each family member with a special outing. Perhaps in January, your first-grader will choose a trip to the local indoor playground. In February, your husband might opt for a family bowling night. Allowing each member of the family to choose a destination gets everyone involved and excited. Plus, unusual family outings are a great way to brighten winter days.

The days between New Year’s and spring don’t have to drag. Just step outside the routine – whether through travel or innovation at home – to help beat the winter blues

Is Single Motherhood Too Glorified?

Everyday I read about celebrity women deciding to become single moms for one reason or another. I find this disturbing for a number of reasons, the number one of which is the message is sends to the girls and young women who look up to them.

Another reason is, while they proudly flaunt their new status, they will likely never feel the pressure and stress of being a true single mom. They’ll have assistants and nannies to help them take care of the child. They’ll have their money to provide for the child and likely the father will be involved in some way if for no other reason than to claim some of the limelight. Their lifestyle is not threatened by the addition of a child and they will likely not feel the negative effects of their decision like “normal” people.

Different Struggles

The famous people like Halle Berry to the infamous Nadya Suleman do not necessarily have the same struggles as me or the other single moms I encounter each day. There are three ladies at my job who, like me, have to make tough decisions about healthcare, after school care, stretching the money, and dealing with an absent father. There is no one to get up at night and take care of a sick child but us. No assistant. No nanny.

Doing it All vs. Having it All Done for You

The average single mom has to do all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, tutoring, and chauffeuring, on top of working 8-10 hours a day, and keeping it together on the surface. In truth, single motherhood is hard on the body, mind, and spirit. Depression may always be underneath the surface. Recent studies show that single moms are 40% more likely to suffer from depression than married moms. The reasons for depression vary so there is no one size fits all treatment for every single mom.

Depression Trap

Depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and gradual withdrawal from society and their children. Some studies show that children of single moms are at greater risk for being abused. There are some days when I am just at the end of my rope. I can’t take hearing my name called one more time and if I do I just want to scream. So I go to the bathroom, lock the door, and just let the sobs and tears flow. This scenario is not necessarily the norm but it does happen more than I or other single moms would like. Celebrity single moms can just hand them over to the nanny and escape to a spa for a few hours.

Isolation vs. An Entourage

Isolation is a big issue for me and other single moms. The feeling of loneliness is pervasive and there seems to be no escape. The cycle of caretaking seems endless and day by day our emotional cups get drained with no hope in sight of being re-filled. I don’t expect my kids to take care of my emotional or physical needs but that doesn’t diminish the need to be filled. That is why taking a time out is so important and so is finding a way to get pampered. We may have to trade childcare, use coupons to get pampered, or save up to pay a sitter for a couple of hours while we escape to the movies or something. These resources are readily available to celebrity single moms and they likely have people around most of the time to interact with, which eases the feelings of loneliness

With all these things to contend with on a daily basis the average single mother would hardly glorify their status. Being a single mom is the hardest job on the planet and no matter how you or I came to be single moms, at the end of the day we get to do it all and can look forward to doing it again tomorrow. Hopefully our children, especially, our daughters will benefit from different circumstances, but for today let’s just love them in our current reality.

Is Single Motherhood Too Glorified?

Everyday I read about celebrity women deciding to become single moms for one reason or another. I find this disturbing for a number of reasons, the number one of which is the message is sends to the girls and young women who look up to them.

Another reason is, while they proudly flaunt their new status, they will likely never feel the pressure and stress of being a true single mom. They’ll have assistants and nannies to help them take care of the child. They’ll have their money to provide for the child and likely the father will be involved in some way if for no other reason than to claim some of the limelight. Their lifestyle is not threatened by the addition of a child and they will likely not feel the negative effects of their decision like “normal” people.

Different Struggles

The famous people like Halle Berry to the infamous Nadya Suleman do not necessarily have the same struggles as me or the other single moms I encounter each day. There are three ladies at my job who, like me, have to make tough decisions about healthcare, after school care, stretching the money, and dealing with an absent father. There is no one to get up at night and take care of a sick child but us. No assistant. No nanny.

Doing it All vs. Having it All Done for You

The average single mom has to do all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, tutoring, and chauffeuring, on top of working 8-10 hours a day, and keeping it together on the surface. In truth, single motherhood is hard on the body, mind, and spirit. Depression may always be underneath the surface. Recent studies show that single moms are 40% more likely to suffer from depression than married moms. The reasons for depression vary so there is no one size fits all treatment for every single mom.

Depression Trap

Depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and gradual withdrawal from society and their children. Some studies show that children of single moms are at greater risk for being abused. There are some days when I am just at the end of my rope. I can’t take hearing my name called one more time and if I do I just want to scream. So I go to the bathroom, lock the door, and just let the sobs and tears flow. This scenario is not necessarily the norm but it does happen more than I or other single moms would like. Celebrity single moms can just hand them over to the nanny and escape to a spa for a few hours.

Isolation vs. An Entourage

Isolation is a big issue for me and other single moms. The feeling of loneliness is pervasive and there seems to be no escape. The cycle of caretaking seems endless and day by day our emotional cups get drained with no hope in sight of being re-filled. I don’t expect my kids to take care of my emotional or physical needs but that doesn’t diminish the need to be filled. That is why taking a time out is so important and so is finding a way to get pampered. We may have to trade childcare, use coupons to get pampered, or save up to pay a sitter for a couple of hours while we escape to the movies or something. These resources are readily available to celebrity single moms and they likely have people around most of the time to interact with, which eases the feelings of loneliness

With all these things to contend with on a daily basis the average single mother would hardly glorify their status. Being a single mom is the hardest job on the planet and no matter how you or I came to be single moms, at the end of the day we get to do it all and can look forward to doing it again tomorrow. Hopefully our children, especially, our daughters will benefit from different circumstances, but for today let’s just love them in our current reality.