Why Winter Breaks Are Strange for Kids: Psychologists Explain.

According to Vox: Editor’s Note: This story is being republished for the holiday season. It was first published in 2024.

When I was around 7 years old, public schools in Los Angeles adopted a year-round school calendar. This resulted in shorter summer breaks and longer winter ones, which turned out to be not such a great decision.

That year, my parents signed me up for a winter camp that was similar to summer camp but a lot less fun. It was an El Niño year, and because of constant rain, the pools turned a nasty green. To be honest, I don’t remember what we did there; we probably just made chains and argued with each other.

To shake things up, the camp organized a whale-watching trip (January is the season for gray whales off the Southern California coast). But as soon as we got out to sea, a huge storm blew in that rocked our boat so much that everyone but me started vomiting. Just so you don’t think I escaped the trouble: my clothes got so wet that my pants slipped down in front of many people. So in the end, we didn’t see a single whale.

This goes to show that winter breaks can be quite strange for kids: lots of family visits and celebrations, but school is out, the weather usually isn’t great, and there’s not always much to do. In many places, there’s already not enough snow for traditional winter fun — it’s hard to build a snowman out of wet snow. I recall one year when my older son and I walked to the store in the frigid air, just to get out of the house. It can be difficult, as always.

I don’t have any special advice for these short, strange days at the year’s end, except for one: cherish them in any way you can. We celebrate Christmas in our family, so this week my kids will receive gifts and then probably scatter them all over the house. My 2-year-old son constantly exclaims, “It’s Halloween!” and when corrected, quietly mourns, “Halloween is over.” I get it: Christmas is a holiday, but I also prefer Halloween.

Whether you’re celebrating something or not, remember that these are the darkest days of the calendar, and regardless of the weather, the light is already starting to win over the darkness. Perhaps it’s worth finding time to rest, if possible. Take the kids out to look at the night sky — Venus looks stunning this month and is no drone. If they are quiet enough, you can also go birdwatching.

I will be skipping Thursday, January 2, but I will be back with you on January 9. Thank you to everyone who read and sent questions, podcast recommendations, and stories about kids hiding in toy nests, over the past few months. See you in the new year!

What I’m Reading

School districts are preparing for possible immigration crackdowns by the Trump administration by holding seminars for families about their legal rights and training staff on how to respond if ICE agents show up at school.

The 74 has a roundup of charts that defined education in 2024, including data on learning loss during the pandemic and the use of smartphones by children.

Ulta Beauty has begun selling mystery balls with toy versions of cosmetic products inside, likely as a way to conduct tangible marketing for the coveted tween age group.

We are required to continue reading our Christmas books until December 31, after which my husband hides them for the next 11 months. My little son especially loves Pick a Pine Tree, a sweet rhymed story about decorating a Christmas tree, and How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?, which (spoiler) doesn’t answer that age-old question.

From My Mailbox

I’ve received many inquiries about Australia’s decision to ban children from using social media, and in the new year I’ll examine the pros and cons of such bans. In the meantime, I want to know your thoughts: have children in your life experienced any positive effects from social media? We hear so much about the negative, so I’m really curious to learn about the flip side. Write to me via email.