How to Brighten Rainy Spring Days

I am a SAHM, and like most other SAHMs, getting outside with my kids is very important to me. During the long days of winter, I start feeling a little stir-crazy and discontent with the lack of physical activity and sunshine I am able to get. I look forward to spring the way a camel looks forward to water after that second hump runs dry. I was getting excited and optimistic in January, since we had so far enjoyed a mild winter. I was hoping to be outside with my kids by late winter. However, February doused my hopes as we received snow-storm after snow-storm and three weeks of sub-zero temperatures.

With the arrival of March, temperatures warmed up (10-20 degree highs) and I thought, "Yes, we can start going outside!" That was until the rains came. It is now just about April and we have only been able to take 1 walk so far. My kids keep asking, "When can we ride our bikes?" I look at the gray sky and pools of water in our yard and sigh, "Maybe tomorrow." I say, wishing more than believing it is true. I even bought a bike trailer/stroller with a rain tarp so that I could still go on walks with the kids. Then I realized that I don't really want to walk in the rain. Don't get me wrong, with the drought we've been experiencing in the upper Midwest, we need the rain. I also need some vitamin D, and not just the kind that comes in a bottle.

If you're like me, and the early spring days are getting you down, try these ideas to lift your spirits.

1. Enjoy an afternoon comfort food. SAHMs seem to have the undeserved reputation for being over-eaters. I don't know about you, but my day in no way includes hours of sitting on the couch watching soap operas, with my hand buried in a bag of chips. Instead, I spend my time taking care of my home and my children. By the time the afternoon rolls around, I am usually starting to feel ragged. I put my kids down for a nap or a "rest" and make myself some coffee. It may sound simple, but it is a beacon for me on a rainy, depressing day. Whether it's tea, coffee, pastries or chocolate, find a cozy afternoon ritual that you enjoy and don't feel guilty for indulging in it. Yes, indulge yourself.

2. Make plans for the summer. Whatever you enjoy doing in the summer be it biking, camping, swimming, gardening, etc., plan for those things. Take out your calendar and pick the weekends you are going to try to get away with or without your children. Select times during the week that you want to set aside for outdoor activities, gardening or relaxing. I plant indoors in February, so on the rainy days of March and April I can encourage myself with the green things I have growing in my basement. My husband and I are also organizing our budget so that we can buy new bikes for family outings this summer. Just thinking about all of the biking escapades we're going on this summer helps me mentally ascend out of a dreary, monotonous day.

3. Brighten someone's day. If the bleak days of spring are emotionally tough for you, imagine how they are for other people. Often, wet, cold weather wreaks havoc on bodies plagued with arthritis. Widows, widowers and elderly couples often get bogged down in depression stemming from physical pain in the colder months. Make a pot of soup and take some to elderly neighbors, acquaintances or church members. Branch out even more and take your children to meet some people in a nursing home. You will be amazed how making a difference in the life of a lonely, struggling person will make you feel happier and more optimistic.

Though in the moment, the sunny days of summer seem far away, within weeks we will start seeing bluer skies and enjoying warmer temperatures. If you are a SAHM who is feeling discouraged with her lot in life, consider enjoying a comfort food in the afternoon (Kids are not invited). Start making plans for all of the things you would like to do this summer, and most importantly, find ways you can reach out and encourage others whose life circumstances are truly more difficult than yours.