Wellbeing News

Parenting Ideas: Holiday survival guide

Some advice from Michael Grose an Australian leader in parenting education. For more information go to www.parentingideas.com.au.

Holiday time can be stressful for many parents. Keeping kids busy, avoiding arguments and getting time for yourself can be hard parenting work during holidays. But school holidays don’t have to be stressful. It’s a great opportunity to get your family back on track, build strong relationships and set the tone for a positive future. These ideas will help:

Establish a holiday routine - Some kids feel comfortable with the routines of school-life and can feel lost until the new holiday routine kicks in. Be patient with these routine-junkies! Also make sure you begin adjusting the routine as a return to school comes closer, so that the kids are prepared for going to bed and getting up at earlier times.
Resist being an entertainment officer - While we want our kids to be occupied, it’s worthwhile remembering that kids also need some downtime. The opportunity to relax and unwind is a prerequisite for good mental health, so make sure the kids have an opportunity to take a break from the usual grind, and become bored. “I’m bored” is an invitation for kids to keep themselves occupied rather than for you to keep them amused.
Arrange plenty of green-time, less screen-time - It’s well documented that today’s children spend more time in front of screens, and less time outdoors. It’s no coincidence that this increase in the use of digital devices by kids has been accompanied by a spike in anxiety. Recent research shows how time spent in natural environments is refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating. Science now supports what we’ve intuitively known. These holidays ensure both you and your family have less screen-time and more green-time.
Create one-on-one time - At Parenting Ideas we believe that individual relationships are built through one-on-one interactions. If you have a child who is struggling or even annoying you a little, consider increasing the number of times you spend in each other’s company these holidays – doing something pleasant together. Just the two of you. It’s like money in the relationship bank account.
Access local resources - The Hobsons Bay library is an excellent resource to access over the holiday period. During the April school holidays the library is running a number of free programs for a variety of ages across different locations in Hobsons Bay. The link below will take you to the different programs. https://libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/categories/school-holidays

The popular take home craft and activity kits are back. These kits are free and can be picked up from a librarian at the front desk of any Hobson Bay library. The kits will be available to pick up from any of the 5 Hobsons Bay Libraries from Tuesday 6th April 2021. These kits will accompany instructional videos created by your local librarians so that your child can watch and get creating whenever they like from home.

We hope you have a happy and safe break over the Easter holidays.

Kathy Blythe & Andrea Wilberger

Wellbeing Leader & Learning Diversity Leader