Helping Your Child Navigate the Balance of School and Extra Curricular Activities
Balancing extracurricular activities with homework can be challenging for many children, which may increase stress levels and the feeling of being overwhelmed. As parents, we can help support them in many ways to help create a balanced mindset and help them succeed in all aspects of their lives - here are three ways to help jumpstart this process!
The first tip is to establish a consistent schedule and have a visual of it in a place that is accessible to yourself and your child! Instead of creating the schedule for them, have your child make the schedule with you. Not only does this help sharpen their time management skills, but they are involved in making a schedule that is comfortable for them. This schedule should incorporate everything - some examples being, including their morning/night routine times, time allotted to complete homework and study for tests, outlining their practice/game times, and most importantly, having a “rest block” for them. Visually seeing that they have time to unwind can help decrease the stress levels children hold. Encourage them to stick to this schedule as much as possible, and set time apart one day of the week to lay out the schedule for the next week.
As parents, you may have heard your child say something along the lines of “I am doing so much, I don’t have time!!” Many times, children can be overwhelmed by feeling like they do not have enough time to complete the homework assignments given to them, especially when they are studying for a big test, or have a multistep project due. During these moments, sit down with your child and encourage them to break down larger assignments into smaller, manageable tasks and prioritize them based on deadlines/importance. Websites such as https://pomofocus.io/ are great tools to use to help “chunk” time and decrease stress. Set up a reward system where after finishing a chunk of an assignment, your child receives a five-minute break to do something of their choice.
Lastly, as parents, it is your responsibility to help your child feel supported and balanced by emphasizing the importance of rest and self-care. Ensure that they have sufficient time in their schedule for adequate sleep, nutritious meals, and relaxation to prevent burnout and maintain their overall well-being. Help them understand the significance of getting enough sleep each night to support cognitive function, physical performance, and overall health - many times this may even impact how they do in their extracurricular activities.
Being an advocate for them and understanding their challenges can mean a lot to your child - with them seeing you push for resources and accommodations they may need in school, such as flexible deadlines or tutoring support, when appropriate, they will feel validated to push forward with their schedule more effectively. As parents, it is also important to model these behaviors to show your child it is possible to manage time efficiently while thriving in other areas of life. Navigating the balance between school and extracurricular activities is not an easy task. With your help, these tools can help your child build their time management skills and feel less overwhelmed with trying to succeed in both aspects of their life.