Children have a lot on their plates between school and their well-being outside of the classroom. Play is an important part of child development, as any parenting expert will tell you. So is school, as it is a place providing both an education and an opportunity for socialization. But it can be difficult to balance the two. If you and your child are struggling to find this balance, here are some tips to help.
Keep a Calendar Handy
A calendar can help you keep track of everything you need to know. Part of parenting is helping your child keep track of their responsibilities. This can be difficult when you’re balancing your own as well. By putting them onto a calendar you can both access, you’ll be able to keep track of everything. Not only will this allow you to avoid overbooking or conflicting appointments, but it will also show you how much time is available for play. If there isn’t enough, consider ways to improve the balance between school and fun.
Stick to a Routine
Children thrive on routines. This can help you balance school and fun during the course of the day. For example, your child might come home from school, take a break, and then do homework. If they do this every day, they won’t be thrown off when fun time ends and homework time begins.
A routine will also allow you to schedule free time for your child. If their schedule gets stuffed over the course of the week, you might not have much downtime for them. Scheduling this into your calendar will guarantee that you won’t forget. After a little while, it will become a normal part of your child’s routine.
Encourage Your Child to Rest
Growing children need a lot of sleep. Make sure you’re encouraging your child to get plenty of rest, during both the day and at night. You can do this by setting a healthy bedtime in your routine. If they know what time they’re going to bed each night, they won’t be surprised by it or fight you. Instead, they can go right to bed and get plenty of rest.
Naps during the day can be helpful as well. However, make sure you plan them carefully. Keeping a nap under 30 minutes can reduce grogginess when they wake up, plus help boost their alertness for the rest of the day. If your child can fit a short nap into their day, it’s a great way to encourage rest.
Designate Play and Homework Areas
Make a point of keeping school and play separate. If your kid plays and does homework in the same place, they might have difficulty relaxing when they’re done with their homework. This can lead to stress and an uneven balance between school and fun. It doesn’t need to be separate rooms if you don’t have the space, but make sure that they are distinct in order to establish that boundary.
Stay On Top of Assignments
If your child falls behind on their assignments, it can lead to a lot of stress. This could leak into their home life, especially if they’re trying to catch up. Make a point of helping your child stay on top of assignments. Talk to their teachers regularly to make sure everything has been submitted. Small class sizes are very common in private schools. So if your child goes to one, they should be getting a lot of individual attention. Many classes have a ratio of 12:1 between students and teachers. Use your parenting skills to help your child stay responsible so they do all of their work. It will help them avoid stressing out later.
Children need both school and fun in their lives. However, the balance between the two can become uneven. Use these five tips to help your child find the best balance between school and fun. This will help them get the most out of both of these things.
