No Reason to Lose Sleep

from Youth Connections, Helena - March 2020

What Children Really Need

How do I keep my child busy but not over scheduled for summer? Great question! We as parents want our children to have things to do; we want to know that they’re in a safe place and having fun; we want them to advance any of their interests like theatre, music, dance, or sports. Unfortunately, having every second of every day scheduled for them the entire summer may seem like qualifications for parent of the year, but there’s research that says kids need down time. Overscheduling kids leads to the same stress-related health and psychological problems that overscheduled adults experience. The goal is to develop a balance so there’s structure, but also free time. Signs your child may be over-scheduled: + Complaints of headaches, pains, or just not feeling right + Not sleeping well + What used to be fun, isn’t any more + Grades dropping + Signs of depression and anxiety + Little contact with friends + Needs parent direction for what to do next Over-scheduling is really about being so organized there’s not a moment for kids to be kids, nor is there time for families to be a family.

Limiting organized activities gives everyone the opportunity for downtime, including mom and dad. It’s critical that kids get time to relax, play, and time with family. Summer is a great time to schedule family time in the evenings. Go for bike rides, to the park, take the dog for a walk, or play lawn games. Instead of stressing about dinner make some sandwiches and go on a picnic.

To avoid summer learning loss, schedule time for reading. Make weekly trips to the library to keep the reading supply fresh. Schedule time for kids to “study” something. This gives them the opportunity to learn more about what interests them. For children who do attend all day camps, make sure their evenings are free for play. Researchers recommend 20 minutes a day, five days a week to spend time as a family playing games, shooting hoops, whatever. It’s been shown to be effective in developing imaginations and increasing family bonding, which decreases risk-taking behaviors and even obesity as kids get older. It’s important to keep them busy so they’re not getting into trouble, but don’t forget to schedule family and downtime.

HAVE A QUESTION? coleen@youthconnectionscoalition.org We cannot guarantee all questions will be published; however, we will do our best to respond to all questions submitted.

NUMBERS

44 The total number of days of sleep a new parent loses the first year.

760 The number of thunderstorms every hour on earth.

2,000

The number of balloons a blue whale can inflate with one breath.

50

The percentage of pizzas in America that are pepperoni.

1

The percentage of water on earth that is drinkable (even though 70% of it is covered by water).

8

The number of bees it takes their whole life to make a teaspoon of honey.

We offer prevention, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and performance enhancement for physically active youth. We offer prevention, evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and performance enhancement for physically active youth.