Chaplain Chat

School holidays are totally different to school terms. I find that the first week of the holidays feels like a big change: having nothing to do after having worked hard for a whole term. This can make me feel quite unsettled until I find my holiday routine. 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who experiences this. If you can relate to this, it's totally okay! This Chaplain Chat is for you! Maybe you are a parent of a child that acts out when the holidays first start. It is quite likely that your child struggles with the transition. This often happens when feeling unsettled.

Here are some suggestions to deal successfully with the transition and prevent acting out:

1. Acknowledge that change is difficult
2. Be patient with yourself and those around you as you get used to the different situation
3. Keep some sort of routine going, for example, decide to get up at a certain time each day (of course, this can be a little bit later than during the term!)
4. Have a clear overview of what happens when. It is good for someone who struggles with change to be aware of play dates, holidays and family gatherings and be able to prepare for these.
5. Set goals. When you are at school, there are always goals to achieve, things to learn and tests to ace. When it's holiday time, you can set your own goals. Do you have any skills you want to practice? Maybe you want to learn a certain song on the piano/guitar/whatever instrument you play or maybe you want to start playing an instrument. Maybe you want to practice your sports skills or do certain activities with friends. Maybe you want to redecorate your room. Set goals and meet them! This helps you feel productive and fulfilled when you don't have external goals to meet.

I hope these tips help. Have a great holiday! 

Ms. Alice Romijn

School Chaplain