What do you do in the afternoons when it’s cold and gets dark so early? It’s not even winter yet and already my kids are just bouncing off the walls by dinner time and not sleeping as well- I think in part because they have too much pent up energy.

By the time my almost 2 year old wakes up from nap, around 3, it’s close to getting dark. If I have the energy and am good about it I can get their coats and go out for a walk right away and get an hour or so before it’s getting dark. But sometimes it’s so hard to motivate and then I lose my window and we are just in the house until bedtime slowing losing our collective minds.

Currently my 4 year old has a ballet class one afternoon. I’m thinking of signing her up for swimming lessons another afternoon to burn off that energy.