Winter Parenting
By Melanie Sisinni
02/10/2026
Winter is hard. After the anticipation of Christmas and the New Year, things start to feel heavy. It’s cold, it’s still getting dark at 5pm, the kids are on their 400th day off from school (or so it feels), and the house looks like it’s survived an avalanche of decorations, mail and plastic game pieces. Commitments like sports and meetings kick back in before you’ve recovered from December. If you’re in survival mode, know that you’re not alone.
The pressure of “new year, new me” really hits hard in the winter. Why aren’t you doing more with your kids? Why isn’t your house clean? Why are you so lazy?
Stop.
Let go of perfection parenting. I would love to be the mom who volunteers for every school event and joins the PTO, but that’s not the season of life I’m in. If you see me dropping off my kids while wearing sweatpants, just know I’m doing my best. I’m not lazy. I’m choosing what’s important. Was I on time? Sure was. Every season has its own “hard,” and it’s alright to choose the one that fits your capacity.
There’s also the feeling of being overstimulated or “touched out.” Maybe you’ve had little ones climbing on you all day. Maybe you’ve been hugged or breathed on within an inch of your life. Maybe your baby has said “UP!” 290 times. My personal soundtrack is kids narrating their entire existence. Someone is always talking. By late afternoon, my brain feels like it’s buffering. Another snuggle can sound impossible. That doesn’t make you a bad parent, and it doesn’t mean you don’t love your children. It means your nervous system is asking for a break.
Here’s where faith speaks into the mess. Jesus stepped away often. Scripture gives us multiple examples where He withdrew to quiet places to rest and pray. If Jesus needed space, you certainly do, too. Taking time for yourself isn’t punishment for your kids. It’s a survival skill you’re teaching them. If you can’t take a full break, can you steal five minutes in the car before walking inside? Can you make sure everyone is safe, then close your bedroom door for a moment of prayer and breath?
Winter is a time to choose your priorities. I’m not saying let the house fall apart, but not everything needs to be perfect. Maybe you don’t sit down for a family rosary every night, but you say an extra prayer before bed. Maybe you don’t have energy for an hour-long cleaning session, but you do a 10-minute burst before bedtime so you don’t wake up to chaos.
Somewhere along the line, we absorbed the idea that busy families are better families. We think if our kids aren’t in multiple activities, they’re missing out. But winter can be a beautiful time to scale back just enough to let everyone breathe again. Doing less helps kids decompress, parents regroup and evenings settle. It makes room for creativity, conversation and gentle rhythms. Doing less isn’t laziness. It’s stewardship of your family’s energy. Slower seasons shape kids just as much as busy ones.
Try choosing one evening a week with no commitments or starting small rituals like a board game night, a Sunday reset hour or a simple devotional after dinner. Even Jesus kept rhythms of work and rest. Our families need that same balance.
God isn’t asking parents to be perfect. He’s walking with you as the parent you already are. This season of slower pace and simpler priorities can become a gift. Lean into grace and accept rest as holy. Winter is long. Grace is longer. God is in every small faithful moment. Keep going. You’re doing just fine.
A Prayer for Overwhelmed Parents
Lord, give me patience when I’m stretched,
silence when I’m tired of noise,
rest when my body needs it,
grace when I fall short,
and joy in the small moments that make this season holy.
Amen.
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