Surviving Winter Break (When There’s No School, No Camps… and No Plan)
Well, y’all.
Winter Break has entered the chat. And not the cute, matching-pajamas, sipping-hot-cocoa, watching-Christmas-movies version.
I’m talking about the “Why are we all still in this house at 9:14am on a Tuesday?” version.
We’ve got no school. No camps. A random pediatrician check-up. A dental cleaning. And approximately 12.7 hours a day to “make memories.”
Bless it.
The Battle: Momming vs. Housework
There’s a very specific internal tug-of-war that happens around 10:32am.
On one side:
“Be present. Play the board game. Build the fort. They’ll only be little once.”
On the other side:
“Ma’am, the laundry pile is now a structural hazard.”
Jessica wants to reorganize the art cabinet.
Jenna wants to bake something that requires seventeen bowls.
Meanwhile, Nugget — our shaggy brown Chief Distraction Officer — is trotting around like he’s the cruise director of this operation. If there’s a sock missing, he has it.
And I’m standing in the kitchen wondering if wiping down counters counts as a hobby.
The “Let’s Keep It Chill” Strategy
I’m no expert, but here’s the thing I’ve learned in the last 7 years:
If I try to schedule every hour of Winter Break, I will absolutely lose my mind.
But if I don’t give them something? They’ll circle me like little caffeinated hawks.
So we’re doing what I call:
Low-Effort Structure. Not a full Pinterest itinerary. Not a color-coded schedule.
Just:
Quiet time after breakfast (books, coloring, no arguing).
Outside time — even if it’s 42 degrees and someone claims it’s “basically Antarctica.”
One “Mom-led” thing per day. ONE. That’s it.
Some days it’s going to be a baking project.
Some days it will be “help me sort the donation pile.” (Surprise! Character building!)
Sneaking In Learning (Without Them Catching On)
Listen. I am not about to sit down and announce, “Okay, girls! Time for academics!”
That’s how mutiny begins.
Instead, I slip it in like vegetables in spaghetti sauce.
Baking = fractions.
Grocery list = handwriting.
Counting change at Publix = math.
Reading signs out loud in the car = phonics practice.
Jessica loves to “be in charge,” so I let her read instructions.
Jenna just wants to circle letters and feel important.
They don’t need worksheets. They need light structure and a mama who doesn’t look panicked.
(Working on that last part.)
The Errand Olympics
Now let’s talk about running errands with children on Winter Break.
There are two guaranteed detours:
McDonald’s
The toy aisle at Walmart
You would think I’m navigating downtown Atlanta traffic the way I strategically park at Target to avoid walking past seasonal toys.
“Mom, can we just LOOK?” No. Because looking turns into holding. Holding turns into begging. Begging turns into negotiations I am not emotionally prepared for.
I’ve started doing:
Drive-up pickup (praise be 🙌)
Clear expectations before we exit the vehicle
“We are here for toothpaste and paper towels. That is all. We are not browsing.”
Do they still ask? Absolutely.
But at least I feel like I tried.
The No-Plan Panic
The hardest part? The empty calendar.
Because when there are no camps and no commitments, I feel like I’m supposed to be creating magical core memories every hour.
But truthfully?
Some of the best Winter Break moments have been:
The girls building a “restaurant” in the living room.
Nugget being the world’s worst waiter.
A random dance party in pajamas at 2pm.
Everyone piled on the couch watching a movie while I fold laundry and pretend that counts as multitasking.
Not every minute has to be enriching. Sometimes it just has to be peaceful-ish.
If You’re In It Too…
If your house is loud. If your counters are sticky. If you’re toggling between “I should be playing” and “I should be cleaning”…
You’re not doing it wrong, sugar.
Winter Break isn’t about perfection. It’s about survival with small doses of sweetness.
And if all else fails?
Turn on a movie. Pour the coffee. And remind yourself:
School starts again soon. Bless it. 😂
#WinterBreakSurvival #MomLifeUnfiltered #GeorgiaMoms #MetroAtlantaMoms #CobbCountyLife #SmyrnaGA #RealLifeParenting #MomHumor #PlanItMom #PlanItMomUS
