Structuring your kids’ summer
Keep your children busy during these ever-changing times.
Article Date:
Our kids have had to adapt to a lot of changes this year, from distance learning to closures of many camps and day care centers. With a few weeks left of summer before they return to their modified school schedules, how can we keep them entertained?
Tracy Tyson, MD, a pediatrician with Orange Park Pediatrics, offers some ideas for keeping your kids occupied and on a schedule.
1. Get outside
Get your kids playing outside as much as you can to improve their physical and mental health. Â Go on a walk or a bike ride, or explore our state parks.
2. Limit electronics
Dr. Tyson has been seeing young kids come in with headaches and mood swings during COVID-19, which may be attributed in part to the increased time kids have been spending on electronics. Try to limit your children to two hours per day on electronics to minimize stress and reduce headaches.
3. Sleeping pattern
Maintaining a good sleep schedule is critical not just for young kids but for teenagers who are still growing.
4. Foster their independence
The more responsibility they have, the more confident your kids will feel. Make sure their tasks are appropriate and clear-cut for their developmental age. Favor positive reinforcement over negative reinforcement when possible.
5. Free time
Let your kids have unstructured free time without electronics so they can learn what it means to be bored! Sometimes it's in these moments of boredom when they can be their most creative versions of themselves.
6. If possible, schedule some family time each day.
For example, make it a point to eat breakfast or dinner together. If your children know family time is coming at a set time each day, they will probably fight it less and may even look forward to family dinner!
7. Wear your mask.
Make wearing your mask a part of your family's routine. For parents, that means modeling the behavior you want to see in your kids. The sooner we all step up to keep each other safe, the sooner we'll return to some sense of normalcy.
At Baptist Health, we want to help keep our community informed about COVID-19. For more information, visit covid19.baptistjax.com.
