Keep Up That School Spirit
Posted on 10 Apr 2019
If you’re the parents of school-age kids, you know how long the month of April seems. The end of the school year is in sight, but you still have to get through the home stretch. It’s easy to get exhausted and check out with a steady load of homework, commitments to extracurricular activities, and responsibilities at home.
So how to avoid educational burnout with so many distractions? Your friends at Reunion have a few pointers.
Ensure adequate sleep
With the sun rising earlier and setting later, everyone’s sleep rhythms could be thrown off. Remember, younger children need around 10-11 hours of sleep and teens need about 8-10 every night. Make sure everyone sticks to their bedtime and puts away their phones and tablets at least an hour before bed. Also keep an eye on caffeine intake, something that can affect the quality of sleep as well.
Keep up the nutrition
As you know, sugary snack consumption can create a “sugar slump” — leading to irritability and lethargy. Even parents can hit a slump this time of year, but keep up with fruit and veggie intake with these creative nibbles. As the weather gets warmer, switch your household menu to more seasonal fare like fruit-infused water and salad-based meals.
Mix it up
A steady routine keeps everything running smoothly — but your kids aren’t machines, so it’s okay to break that routine every once in a while. Instead of studying at the kitchen table, head over to the Reunion Coffee House for a change of scenery. Switch up your dinner routine by having a surprise pizza party in the middle of the week. Rather than running errands all weekend, spend a Saturday afternoon together fixing up your kids’ rooms or making something crafty.
Stay active
We lament that kids spend so much time sitting and staring at screens all day — let’s really push to get them outside and into the sunshine more often this month. They need their vitamin D and physical activity to burn off leftover stress from school, peers, and even home life. Now that the weather is warmer, take a hike around our community trails, go for a family bike ride, or play touch football in the backyard — whatever you’re into!
Remember: learning habits of self-care is just as important as an education and other responsibilities, especially if you want to avoid burnout. Hopefully these tips will help you keep up the spirit in your household until that glorious day when school lets out for summer vacation!
