Vacation, the longed-for time of rest awaited by all students, often looks similar. For the first few days, children enjoy the beautiful weather and freedom from school, lessons and learning. After that, however, boredom sets in. The time between summer trips is usually spent dozing around the house, sitting in front of the TV, laptop or with a phone in hand. Children quickly become apathetic and even depressed because they lack action!
How to remedy this? What can we do to make sure that during the vacations our kids not only relax from their school duties, but also learn something new and develop their social skills?
Parent, have a conversation with your kid!
The time between trips can be filled with activities of educational and entertainment value. It all depends on the main concerned parties – the children themselves! That’s why it’s so important to plan their vacation together with your kids: ask them how they would like to spend this time. Perhaps they will choose a physical activity within the framework of sports, they will be interested in an art or music club, or maybe they will decide to join the scouts? Let’s try not to decide for our kids. Let’s show them that they have the power to make things happen and that they themselves can choose what they want to do during the vacations. This will make them more committed to direct their energies to a specific goal, while having adventures surrounded by their peers and learning a lot. Let’s remember that a well-planned holiday can be an opportunity for children to grow, to learn about themselves and the world around them, and to develop their imagination and sensitivity.
Everyone rests differently
When talking with your kid about organizing time between trips, let’s take into account his or her interests. Let’s remember that one child will choose physical activity and happily sign up for a sports class, while another will enjoy reading books more. It’s important to give children a choice, ask them for their opinion and in this way show that we care about their holiday development. Let’s also remember that these activities are supposed to be a way to get away from everyday life, so let’s not saddle our kids with too many responsibilities!
Vacations are a time of choice
During summer months, every child faces many choices. Should they devote themselves to activities that are developing but more engaging to the mind and body, or spend another day in front of the laptop? Contrary to appearances, such decisions require a lot of wisdom and self-denial from children, and have consequences in their adult lives. So let’s support our children in the process of making positive decisions. Let’s show that choosing a challenging leisure activity is an investment in their future, as opposed to idleness, which leads a straight path to consumerism.
Words alone are not enough
Very often parents limit themselves to just giving their children tips. They tell their children to read, spend time outside, play sports and are surprised that they don’t do it. This is because they need a good example from adults. So it’s worthwhile for parents to grab an overdue book themselves, set aside some time for reading together as a family, or offer their kids to have a walk or play ball together. In this way, they will not only show them a pattern of behavior, but also spend precious time with them lovingly.
The best cure for holiday boredom is action, so it is worth creating a list of 50 things to do during the summer months together with your kid. It can include small goals such as a trip to a nearby park, as well as big “undertakings” such as learning to play the guitar. From such a list, the child can choose those activities that suit him or her best at the time. Ideally, there should also be ideas for the whole family.
Vacations don’t have to be just a time for traveling and lying in front of the TV. Although such idleness for a few days will not harm anyone, in the long run it can be more tiring than regular physical and mental effort. That’s why it’s a good idea to provide your kids with active leisure activities that will help them develop!
