Happy School Holidays

The school holidays are upon us! A mid-year break is a great way to reset, reconnect and recharge before the second half of the year begins.

The holidays can be a chance to spend time with your children, but they can also add stress as parents try to meet the demands of work and family during the two-week break.

Dr Dan Siegel (American psychiatrist) has devised The Healthy Mind Platter. Just like the daily food pyramid teaches us how to enjoy a range of foods for a physically healthy life, this helps us to plan activities for good mental health and wellbeing.

The Seven Daily Essential Mental Activities are:

1. Focus Time: When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, we take on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.

2. Playtime: When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, we help make new connections in the brain. Ideas are going to the playground, art/colouring, building forts or with blocks/Lego, cooking, picnics, fishing or visiting the skate park).

3. Connecting Time: When we connect with other people, ideally in person, and when we take time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us, we activate and reinforce the brain's relational circuitry. Enjoy your time together- go with your children’s interests and fill their cups as well as your own.

4. Physical Time: When we move our bodies, aerobically if medically possible, we strengthen the brain in many ways.

5. Time In: When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, we help to better integrate the brain.

6. Down Time: When we are non-focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, we help the brain recharge. This may involve screen time but is also a great way to let your children be creative! Boredom allows children to use their imagination.

7. Sleep Time: When we give the brain the rest it needs, we consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day. Keep a routine with bedtime as much as possible. This will allow your child to rest and make it easier to transition back to school at the end of the break.

Tips for parents to manage the change in routine are:

Talk with your children and find out what their expectations are of the holidays and share yours. Open and honest communication about when you will be together and apart can support your child with their regulation.

Ask for help if needed- seek support from family and friends to help share the load.

Accept that things may not go to plan. It’s OK if things turn out differently than you planned or expected. Sometimes holidays are a great time for your family, but there are times that things happen and plans change. Supporting your children to adjust and reminding them that not everything always goes to plan will develop their resilience.

Self-care! A change in routine can be hard so make sure you have some boundaries in place to protect your own energy during the school holiday period. Whether that is time for a tea or coffee in the morning before the day begins, going to the gym or for a walk, or even connecting with your own friends where possible.

Sources:

10 tips for surviving school holidays | Parent Line NSW

Healthy Mind Platter - Dr. Dan Siegel (drdansiegel.com)

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