We already here you saying “Oh no! Summer holiday is almost here, what will we do, where will we go, what should we do with the children so that they spend a productive holiday?” Summer holiday is like medicine for both parents and children. It is enjoyable for children to be able to move more flexibly, to relax, to have more time for activities they enjoy rather than lessons.
In addition to being enjoyable for children, it is also very important for family life. Unfortunately, especially busy city life, being a working parent, and hard working conditions do not allow family members to spend time together. Holidays, on the other hand, always create a good opportunity for remedying. Spending family time when parents are also on hliday (not going to work) and having more flexible hours on other days compared to school time positively supports family life.
Holidays are also beneficial in terms of supporting and observing change and development in the children of family members.
Each family plans the holiday period within the framework of their own living conditions. While some families plan to travel domestically or abroad, some families may spend the summer at home. The important thing is to have a close relationship with children, to increase sharing time and to organize activities that will eliminate mundaneness for them as much as possible.
In this process, we have compiled for you what you as parents and children should do, what are the attitudes to be taken:
-Remember that holidays are a time period for students to relax and have fun.
-Do not feel obliged to entertain your children all the time and do not act in this direction. It is an important gain for them to learn the ability to entertain themselves in your presence. Children who are constantly set up by their parents and run from one activity to another are very likely to be individuals who have difficulty in keeping themselves busy and being alone in the coming years.
-Parents who go on a trip should take with them activity materials such as toys, coloring tools and reading books appropriate to the age of their children, without thinking that they are going on a holiday and the child would have enough fun with the sea, sand and sun. Beucase then we come across children who cannot calm down on the plane or who cry next to their mother’s sunbed at the hotel or are onstantly warned because they started to misbehave.
-It is useful for families after a trip, or if they don’t go on a trip during summer and if the conditions are suitable, to enroll their child in a sports school/course that the child also loves, both for the development of children and for them to have a pleasant and productive time.
-The time spent at home should be organized according to your own (family) daily schedule and availability, such as play time alone, play time with parents, meals eaten together, and conversation time. This way, the sharing and emotional transfer between the children and family members increase.
-Forcing children to study in the summer period can cause them to start school tired without having a rest period and get bored with the lessons. Therefore, it is important to take a break from intensive study and ensure that the child misses school, teachers and friends.
-The summer duties given by our school should be examined together, the mother/father and the child should create a calendar/agenda suitable for the age of the child, and on which day and at which time interval the summer duties will be performed should be decided together.
-It would be appropriate to encourage children and young people with reading and writing difficulties to read illustrated stories or youth novels to be selected according to their age groups, outside of textbooks, and to support the habit of writing in the form of journaling.
-The summer period can also be used to facilitate the steps in the development of preschool children. Infants and children more easily accept attempts to gain developmental skills such as hygiene education, separation of the rooms, and eating on their own.
When we look at the relationship between achievement and reward – punishment, studies show that when you reward or punish a task or behavior that is under the child’s responsibility, you also prevent the child from internalizing that phenomenon. Because the child exhibits the relevant behavior only for an external result in the long term. Never compare your child with another peer and/or sibling regarding school success and report card grades.
-A productive holiday starts at home. It is ensured that he/she takes action by giving some responsibilities during the holiday. Of course, the jobs and responsibilities given should be appropriate for the age of the child. In this way, he/she develops motor skills, becomes entreprising and takes responsibility.
-Do not try to instill your own goals and expectations in the child in areas such as academics and sports, this will increase his/her anxiety and reduce his/her performance.
-Be sure to encourage them to read during the holidays. Periodically (as a routine) make bookstore visits and book purchases. When going to the bookstore with you
and choosing a book becomes an enjoyable experience for your child, and when he/she gains the awareness that he/she must finish the book before you can go there again, the motivation to read books will increase.
-Take initiatives to make technology use more functional. Encourage production-oriented use, such as watching videos or sharing, for example, to conduct research on a topic, conduct an experiment, or bring out a product. Play attention and exercise games that are easy to find online. Organise ‘online social gatherings‘ where he/she can meet with his/her friends.
-Have him/her start a sporting activity in line with your family circumstances and continue regularly.
-Remember that it is very difficult to control the use of technological products by children/young people who do not have out-of-home activities or a sports life.
-Again, keep in mind that it is very difficult to protect children/young people who do not have out-of-home activities, a sports life from unhealthy eating habits and obesity risk.
– We hope that the information we share will be useful, and we wish you and your children, one of your most valuable entity, an enjoyable holiday.
