 by
Mary Abreu
With only a few weeks left until school lets
out for the holidays, it’s hard to keep
school-aged children focused on anything other
than the upcoming break. It certainly doesn’t
help to have an increased number of parties,
social obligations, visitors and traveling,
which usually accompany this time of the year.
It doesn’t matter whether your kids are in
elementary, middle or high school; they’re all
prone to distraction and behavioral changes
during the hectic holiday season, says Teresa
Neal, a guidance counselor at CrossRoads High
School-Middle School in Holly Springs. Take
heart in knowing that you’re not alone – and
that there are some simple things you can do to
help your kids stay focused on school during
those sometimes-crucial last days of the term.
Elementary School Students
Keeping younger students focused during the
hectic holiday season isn’t that much different
than helping them get back into the swing of
things when school resumes in the fall. Try to
keep household routines as normal as possible,
including regular bedtimes. That may mean eating
dinner early the night of the school orchestra
concert to make sure your youngster gets in bed
only half an hour late instead of 90 minutes
past regular bedtime.
If social obligations are making it difficult
for your child to juggle homework,
extracurricular activities and free time, you
may have to adjust your priorities and send your
regrets to a few invitations.
When possible, postpone activities – like
holiday shopping – until after school lets out
for the winter break. Alternatively, try doing
some online shopping to keep from having to drag
your kids to the mall during the busiest time of
year.
Don’t downplay your stress level, either.
Parental stress adversely affects even the
smallest members of the household and makes them
more prone to behavioral changes, Neal says.
“They all become little ADHD kids,” says
Neal, who also is the mother of three children.
“They’re running around, not able to stay calm
and sit in their seats for a long time. Younger
kids want to be up and moving around.”
Middle School and High
School Students
December has another meaning to middle and
high school students, who typically have
semester finals in the days leading up to the
winter break. For them, it’s more than just
keeping them focused on tests and schoolwork,
but also keeping them from burning out, says
Neal.
“Find something relaxing that he likes to do
to kind of get his mind off of those things that
are burning him out,” she says.
She also advises her students to focus on
test-taking and study skills rather than content
as they prepare for end-of-semester exams. “They
probably already know the content well,” she
says. It also may help to remind your kids that
it’s more effective to study in small chunks of
time instead of cramming the night before.
Parents can also help by making sure their
young test-takers get a good night’s sleep and
eat breakfast each morning, she says. As for
television and video games, Neal has three
words: Turn them off.
“Television and video games really tend to …
make them zombies,” she says.
Instead, encourage your teens and tweens to
head outside for a quick game of basketball in
the driveway or a jog around the neighborhood.
The fresh air will do them a world of good – and
get them off the desk chair for a little while.
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