The holidays are just around the corner, but students may be more stressed than usual as they scramble to finish all of their school projects and final exams before the semester ends.
But once the assignments are turned in and the holiday break begins, your student may want to use this time to take a beat, relax, and enjoy some much-needed family time before school starts back up in January.
Here are our tips for ways to recharge and make the most of this holiday season:
Designate A Family Night Each Week
One of the best parts of the holiday break is the opportunity to spend some much-needed time with your family. Though it’s easy to assume you’ll be together a lot over the coming weeks, it’s a good idea to designate one night each week specifically for a family activity. Maybe it’s just a movie night or working on a puzzle together, but it gives you an opportunity to bond with your child and potentially get them to open up about their stresses.
Include Them In Holiday Planning
Though family traditions may be a little different this year, include your children in your holiday planning to get the whole family excited for the season. Decorate the house with your favorite holiday decor, string up lights outside, determine who’s cooking each dish for the holiday feast, and which games or activities you’ll all play together. These activities will get their minds off of their studies and give them something to look forward to.
Give Them Time To Catch Up With Friends
Spending time with family is important around the holidays, but it’s equally important to give your child time to catch up with their friends outside of school as well. Give your child some flexibility and let them plan some safe social activities with their friends, like a video chat hangout or a socially distanced small gathering. Having this time to confide in and relate to their friends is the perfect way to ease any school-related stress they may be feeling.
Give Them Some Alone Time
Don’t feel like you need to schedule something for every moment that you and your children are home for the holiday break. Give them a little alone time to relax and work on independent activities. More than anything, the ability to relax and do what they want for a short while should help alleviate any stress they may be feeling.
Slowly Work Back Into A Routine
During the holiday break, most routines get easily forgotten as we enjoy sleeping in later than normal and having fewer obligations. As the break comes to an end, however, it may be smart to start easing your child back into their typical school routine. Start waking up a little earlier each morning, refresh on what they were learning before the break began, and remind them that social distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing will still be part of their daily lives. Once they start back in a new semester, it won’t be such a shock to their system.
If your child is merely surviving instead of thriving at their current school, it may be time to make a switch. The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is a virtual, tuition-free charter school offering a high-quality education designed to teach your child to discuss, ask questions, and connect their lessons to the world at large. Reach out today to get more information and fill out an application.
