Whether your Junior Warrior is graduating from college, high school, or kindergarten, or just finishing up the school year, it’s a good time to celebrate and start making plans for the summer. Here are 5 tips for parents of Warriors in training.
1. Celebrate their efforts, not their smarts.
So your middle schooler made the honor roll every semester? Your high schooler was named valedictorian? That’s great. But Warriors need to focus on rewarding effort rather than ability. Studies shows that acknowledging your child’s hard work helps them be better at overcoming obstacles and also makes them more likely to try things they aren’t so good at.
2. Stick to your Warrior routine.
As much as you might be tempted to toss your school-year routine out the window and let the kids run wild during the summer break, it’s smarter to maintain the main elements of your regular routine. Keep their curfew around the same time to ensure maturing brains get adequate sleep. Continue to give them healthy meals and snacks. And maintain their household chore responsibilities. Scientific evidence shows that kids who do chores tend to be happier and more successful adults.
3. Get more sunshine.
Studies indicate that outdoor time can actually improve concentration and cooperation in kids. Whether your elementary, middle, or high school kids want to read a book, do a creative hobby, or exercise, encourage them to do it outside. Getting outdoors also provides a healthy dose of vitamin D, which is important for optimal brain health, mood stability, and a good memory.
4. Let your kids help with the planning.
You may be raring to sign up your Junior Warrior for a variety of summer activities, but be sure to get their input. Ask them to make a list of five things they would like to do during the summer break and together you can choose the ones that make the most sense.
5. Consider summer jobs and volunteering opportunities.
For older teens, a summer job can help with responsibility and learning how to handle money. Similarly, an internship or volunteer situation can help them get a taste of the working world and check out future career fields while giving back to the community. It can be a win-win for everyone.
You can find healthy snack options on my website, and if your kids are low in the sunshine vitamin (about 60% of kids have sub-optimal levels) be sure to supplement their diets with vitamin D. Take 21% off your order when you use the promo code TANA21.
