Keeping Productive During Winter Break
But I just got situated…
For one young man, coming home from college was always stressful. The moment he got home he no longer wanted to do any chores, maintain his hygiene, pick up after himself or act like the adult he was at college. He believed that since he was home, he didn’t have to do any of that, so he didn’t. As time went on, the young man began to smell, the house and his room was dirty and unorganized, and all of those life skills he learned while away at college began to fade.
The young man’s parents decided to let their son be because he was on break, yet this caused their own break to become difficult as well. They were constantly cleaning up after their son, dealing with his emotional outburst due to being told to do chores, and more, so they were unable to relax as well. Yet, despite thinking everything would go back to normal come January, the young man returned to college before immediately wanting to drop out, claiming “independent life was just too difficult.”
This is when the parents reach out to the College Life Skills Program for help. There they ensured that the young man would regain his skills before trying to keep them during breaks by utilizing a planner, keeping a chore sheet with his parents, and setting timers to remind him to do chores/shower. As the young man continued this, they realized they had more time for actives, family time, and relaxing during break, causing what was once a negative event to become a positive one.
Winter break can be stressful not just for the parents, but for kids too. Whether they are college aged or in kindergarten, the long winter break can cause stress for them. It can;
- Completely disrupt their routine
- Cause them stress/anxiety because of the change
- Isolation due to stressors/missing their peers
- Not wanting to return to school
- Not maintaining their skills, they have achieved (Washing their own laundry, doing the dishes, cleaning their room, etc.).
- Not maintaining their hygiene because they feel as if they don’t have to at home
- Emotional outburst/fighting with their siblings
- And more!
All of these factors can cause the both the child and parents stress, depression, isolation, avoidant behaviors, and overall make what is supposed to be a great experience a difficult one. However, there are skills that can be learned to avoid this.
- Preparing them before break/coming home
- Maintaining a schedule that worked for them (Eating, getting up, showing, etc., all at the same time still).
- Breathing exercises can help when trying to deescalate a situation as well as with emotional support
- Utilizing a calendar/planner so they know what the weeks ahead are like.
- Ensuing they are still receiving enough peer interaction
- Communication skills to ensure they are advocating for themselves and voicing what they need.
- Actively ensuring they are managing their time properly.
- Not allowing them to spend too much time on devices
- And more!
Children, teens, and young adults can begin to lose those skills once coming back from school, causing the cycle of stress to repeat once they have to go back, but the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program can help ensure that pattern breaks.
At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain productive during winter break to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.
Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening
Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.
