If you hadn't noticed yet... it's January.  It's pretty easy to tell.  Your holiday cheer is gone along with the Christmas tree.  The sun appears to have been swallowed by gray clouds.  The holiday bills have started to roll in like an avalanche.  If that is not enough to put you in a funk, what feels like a never ending hockey schedule may do the trick.  Let's be honest -- life gets tough in January.  There is even a name for it... the January Grind.

The Grind effects everyone differently.  For parents, you may find yourself flinching every time the mailman delivers the credit card bills.  Hotel stays and tournament fees add up quickly... and all the food these players need!  Where does it all go!?  Most hockey parents are overwhelmed around this time of year.  You are tired of driving, tired of sleeping in hotels, tired of being cold, tired of your player not skating to their full potential, tired of hearing that goalie dad's voice (like the one I'm married to).  Tired doesn't begin to describe it.

An unfortunate side effect of The Grind... the tendency to turn ordinarily gentle folks into grizzly bears.  Suddenly coaches, other parents, players, referees, and unsuspecting rink cashiers aren't doing anything right and you feel as it's your moral obligation to let them know exactly what you think.

The Grind hits players a bit differently.  You may find they start to display a lack of focus (more than usual). They are excited to get to the championship game, but there are lots of practices and games left to go through.  Maybe some of their team mates are getting under their skin.  They have spent so much time together, the relationship has evolved from team mates to squabbling siblings. They may spend more time blaming each other for locker room shenanigans then actually skating. Your player may start to display a lack of interest, not because they don't love the game, but because they are just plain tired.

Sound familiar?

Take a deep breath... you're not alone.  Many parents and players feel this grind during the long second half of the season.  The good news is that it's completely survivable!

So what can we do to make the rest of the season enjoyable? Here are some starting points to help us embrace the grind.

*Make sure the whole family is getting good rest and has a good schedule they stick to. Sometimes our worn down bodies just need to go to bed a little earlier. Could be as simple as turning the television off during your favorite movie and having to watch a crummy pirated version with Chinese subtitles later.

*This time of year we love our warm heavy comfort foods. However if your player eats a huge bowl of pasta then gets on the ice, you may find them using a net as a personal hammock taking a snooze. Make sure the whole family is getting a healthy balanced diet in, one can not overdose on vegetables and fruits.

*Remember your child will only be this age once. A young player can start to feel worn out and unmotivated. Are they still enjoying themselves? Do they need a break? Sometimes I find that my goalie just needs some time in his player skates at a public skate session to remind him of the joy skating brings to him. Maybe a sleep over or team event away from the rink to remind players why they enjoy being around each other.

*As difficult as it may be, if you have a beef with another hockey parent, player, coach or that poor cashier, let it go. Holding on to these unnecessary grudges only exhausts your mind and body. You have no idea what that person is going through. Maybe they had a death in the family, a sick loved one, money troubles and you just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. The point is, no one is perfect so let's move past it.

*Remember the refs and coaches are feeling the grind also. If we are tired imagine how they feel after a season of boisterous parents, loose cannon players and rink coffee. Take your coaches out for lunch or dinner, get to know them away from the rink. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you learn. Thank the refs, even if it's through clenched teeth.

By just being mindful that the grind can happen to any one of us, helps us be prepared for that slump. When it does happen remember to embrace it, see it for what it is, make adjustments where necessary and move on with the rest of your awesome hockey season!

What are some ways you survive The Grind?

Kelly McGraw is the Treasurer of the South Indy Youth Hockey Association, the Queen of Rink Cleaning, and an obsessed but usually well-behaved Hockey Mom.  She also serves as a coach for the SIYHA Learn To Skate and Mini-Mite programs, and can frequently be found at the rink even when her son is not skating.