Are you planning a summer vacation with your children? Young children are natural explorers and typically adore adventures. But they love them even more when they have been prepared for new experiences. Better-prepared kids are kids who cope better. Here are some suggestions to prepare your children – to get the most educationally and emotionally out of your adventures.
• Talk about where you are going and why.
• Discuss how long you will be there and a few things they can expect.
• Ask them what they think they will see or want to do.
• Suggest some “I Spy” targets to look for at your destination. This makes them better travelers and learners.
• Wrap-up the experience on the way home by discussing the surprises and the discoveries.
When you do this right, it feels like a shared family adventure in which everyone’s experience matters and contributes to its success. It also helps parents feel less like travel agents or teachers, and more like moms and dads who know what their children need. Enjoy first – learn second – remember always.
Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.
No comments:
Post a Comment