10 Ways to Make the Most of Spring Break
By Sara Dimerman
Now that it’s April and the malls are showcasing their spring lines, my thoughts keep turning to sandals and skirts, sunshine, and leisurely walks outside. Another clear sign of spring? Spring break! For some, it’s a time to get away from it all. Others take shorter trips closer to home. And for many, spring break is simply about giving everyone some much-needed downtime. Here are 10 ways to really enjoy it, no matter what your plans (or lack of plans) might be:
- Really take a break
Give yourself, and your children, permission to really relax over spring break. The rest is well-deserved and will do everyone good. Parents enjoy not having to get their children out of bed or make school lunches. Kids love sleeping in or staying in their pajamas until noon. If you’re lucky enough to be enjoying time off with your children, take some of the day-to-day pressures off your shoulders. As normal as it is to want to make sure that our children are always entertained and never bored, this is an opportunity to pause. Practice saying “no” to being busy all the time.
- Strike a balance
If you must plan activities, maybe reserve certain days for play dates, seeing a movie or going bowling and other days for doing nothing much at all. Children benefit from learning that they don’t always have to be busy to be happy.
- Celebrate Lazy PJs Day
Designate at least one day as a “lazy PJs day.” This means that no one gets out of their pajamas for an entire 24 hours. No one makes his or her bed, either. Perhaps you’ll even be brave enough to let the dishes pile up in the sink.
- Stage a one-night black out
Prepare for this in advance with flashlights and candles, board games, and snacks. No electricity means no computers or anything electronic.
- Deal with boredom
Acknowledge boredom, but don’t feel responsible for it. As tempting as it is to say something like, “How can you be bored with a whole cupboard of toys and games to play with?” instead say, “Ah, so you feel that you have nothing to do.” And then, depending on your child’s age, you can place the responsibility back on him or her by saying, “I’m sure that you can come up with a creative project,” or “Let’s brainstorm some ideas together.”
- Have fun at home
Along with spending some time outdoors or at indoor activities, fun at-home projects can include cooking, baking, crafting, making art, or engaging in a family project such as sorting through old family videos.
- Stay-cation around town
If you’re not able to get away with your family for an extended trip, consider playing tourist in your own city and spending the night in a downtown hotel or taking a sightseeing bus to places you typically wouldn’t go.
- Think outside the classroom
Children need to take a break from formal learning during school breaks, so don’t worry about anything too academic. That said, there’s nothing wrong with a good game of Scrabble or Boggle, for example, to keep kids thinking, playfully.
- Take time to unplug
Since the kids won’t need to use the computer for homework assignments, try to designate a specific time of day (4-6pm, for example) as a “no screens period.” This means no iPad, iPod, computer, cell phone, DS or X-box. Reading, writing or putting together a puzzle can be great alternate activities. This is really hard at first, but it gets easier over time.
- Consciously relax
If you use this time as an opportunity to unwind, you may feel less stressed, and since stress is contagious, everyone benefits when one or more family members are more relaxed.
Sara Dimerman provides counseling to individuals, couples and families. A mom herself, she is the author of two parenting books, Am I A Normal Parent? and Character Is the Key. Find out more at HelpMeSara.com.
