For parents, the back-to-school season may be a stressful time. You’re helping your children get used to a new pattern, getting them psychologically ready for the new school year, and including lunch preparation and homework assistance into your own calendar.
Life Kit offers advice for parents on how to handle the upcoming weeks as they make the switch from summer vacation to school less stressful.
Calm your kids’ back-to-school jitters
As the new school year starts, have a conversation with your Gen Z children about their anxiousness.According to a Gallup poll, today’s teens have difficult emotions, and their parents find it difficult to have difficult talks with them. Lisa Damour, a teen psychologist, discusses how parents may support their children in managing stress and pressure.
Gain a deeper comprehension of your child’s worry.It can be challenging for adults to distinguish between a child’s dread of the dark or being left alone and a fear that is age-appropriate and severe anxiety. There are several resources in this episode to assist parents in comprehending and controlling their child’s “worry brain.”
Make your child’s nervousness into a strength.Although anxiety is common among children, it’s not always a negative trait. Renee Jain and Shefali Tsabary, mental health specialists, give some suggestions on how to assist kids in making the most of those emotions.
Manage parental stress at home
With your partner, divide the domestic duties (and the mental strain) equally.How to split household chores with your partner is broken down into four parts by relationship gurus Eve Rodsky and Jacqueline Misla.
Recognize the symptoms of burnout in parents.Being a parent can keep you always alert. However, it could be an indication of burnout if you find it so emotionally and physically taxing that you are unable to enjoy family time. Here are some things you can do.
Use a structure influenced by business to make difficult family decisions.Making difficult choices about how to manage your family and what’s best for your kids can be a daunting task when you have elementary-aged children. Emily Oster, an economist, provides methods for making decisions more efficiently using data and tactics that are effective in the corporate sector.
Use these seven small tips to make your to-do list better.Is your to-do list assisting you in achieving your objectives? Or is it impeding your progress? How to level up your list so that it prioritizes what matters is explained by productivity experts.
Connect with your kids before and after school
Establishing a regular 5-minute playtime routine will help you change your child’s behavior.Known as “special time,” the approach is frequently suggested by pediatricians to lessen behavioral problems in young children.
Develop a closer relationship with your children.It may seem contradictory, but psychologist and author Shefali Tsabary advises parents who wish to take care of their children to stop attempting to manage them. She outlines a methodical approach to developing mindful parent-child relationships in her book, The Parenting Map.
Navigate hard conversations with grace
Discuss vaping with your children.It’s not too early, despite their apparent youth.You may have a fruitful discussion with your child about vaping nicotine and e-cigarettes by using age-appropriate questions and prompts.
When your child wants to stop doing something, know what to say.You paid for your child to join the soccer team, swim lessons, piano lessons, or painting classes, and now they’re pleading with you to stop! It might be challenging to determine what choice will best support your child’s long-term development during these times. Do you encourage them to persevere and tough it out? Or have faith in their feelings?
Pack healthy lunches your kid will actually eat
Use these six simple (and cute) recipes to add some flair to your child’s lunch.Sulhee Let’s Make Some Lunch cookbook author Jessica Woo offers inventive and healthful lunch ideas that may be made in 30 minutes or less.
Encourage your children to eat more vegetables.Though it might be challenging to get youngsters to eat their broccoli, vegetables aid in their growth and development. You can encourage your children to eat more vegetables, or at least try them, by using these research-backed suggestions.
Beck Harlan edited this story. Beck Harlan is the visual editor. We would be delighted to hear from you. You can reach us by phone at 202-216-9823 or by email at [email protected].
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