GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota – Children may enjoy the winter holidays, but parents and caregivers may only enjoy it; especially when outdoor playgrounds and bike paths are generally off-limits.
“I work from home, so I have some free time, but I try to juggle the chores while the kids are on break,” said mom Beth Sullivan. “It’s many hats at once.”
Sullivan took her children and visiting family to the Backyard Indoor Playground in Golden Valley on Monday — an activity that, according to Sullivan, was fortunately very affordable.
“I would love to take the kids to the children’s museum and the science museum, but we may only be able to afford one, especially with four kids. You can’t go every day,” she lamented. “And if you take four kids to SkyZone, that’s almost $100.”
She does push the kids outside, and sledding and ice skating are definitely on the agenda. Still, she says it’s a struggle.
“We did Ridgedale Mall. We walked the entire mall several times,” Sullivan said.
Pediatricians advise against extra screen time
It’s not just about making sure the kids aren’t bored; pediatricians emphasize that physical activity is a necessity for their growth, health and general well-being.
“Physical activity is good for the immune system, it’s healthy for our brains to stay active,” says Dr. Garrett Jones, a pediatrician in Saint Louis Park. ‘Take the dog for a walk outside. Go to the Christmas lights near you. All these things are good to do and be active.”
Jones, a father of two, said he identifies with the challenges of winter break in Minnesota, but cautions parents against relying on screen time to get through the days.
“They are less likely to sleep well at night, and children may also become more irritable if they are on screens for long periods of time,” he said. “As a parent, it sometimes feels like it’s less work for me when they’re on a screen, but what actually happens is that the children are more irritable and fussy, they can’t get their energy out and so it’s harder to to deal with it in a certain way, which makes it more difficult as a parent.”
