A latest research by Primary Review of Cambridge has found out that many school-going kids suffer from deep anxiety and the choices, messages and instructions thrown at them by their parents at home stress them just as much as when they are in school.
The brain of a child while still in the developmental stage, is still fragile, is less capable of handling stress and unpleasant emotions like sorrow, grief, anger or fear over longer time. Good mental health is important for learning properly.
Here are some effective tips to help your child relax after hectic schooling schedule.
- Solving puzzles
For kids, school activities can be highly stressful. After spending the entire day going through boring lessons, being commanded around by teachers and staffs, fighting with peers and being anxious, kids want to let their hair down and relax.
- Crosswords, anagrams, Sudoku and word games are some of the best ways to help them unwind, and keep their brain occupied.
- Studies show that puzzle solving activities in the youth can prevent the risks of various mental issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
- You can find many such puzzles online, in magazines and daily newspapers and even in puzzle books specially designed for kids.
- Make him read
Once he develops the habit of reading, he will get the best company to savor for a lifetime. The books of Dr. Seuss, Lewis Caroll etc are eternal favorites and you should introduce your kid to them. After all, what is a child who does not know Alice, Horton, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and other characters?
- Every day when your kid comes back home from school, read a story together. Fairy tales such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Cinderella and Red Riding Hood and the Wolf can wait until bedtime.
- When he grows up a bit, you can introduce him to the books of Herge and Enid Blyton and let him know TinTin or the Famous Five, and nurture his adventurous self.
As a parent, one of the best things you can do is to introduce your child to the world of storybooks. He will thank you one day when he grows up.
- Let him paint
Let your kid paint for some days with watercolors, and encourage the activity. Appreciate whatever he comes out with. Painting with watercolors is very relaxing and can calm the mind after a hectic day at school. Slowly, you will find your kid reaching for his paintbrushes and watercolor paints on a rainy day.
- They might love to draw the portraits of family members and friends and even paint cards and coloring pages.
- You can find many detailed coloring pages available for download online, which contain the shapes of animals, stars, planets, human figures and objects. These can be printed and used.
- You can get plenty of coloring books flower designs in local bookstores.
Encourage your child to paint these and nurture his interest in painting. Who knows, one day he might come up with something brilliant? Even if he does not, he will get something very de-stressing to engage with while you keep busy with your life.
- Let him join dot to dots
Dot-to-Dot books are very useful when you want your child to keep quiet while you do your thing. Kids love these activities, and spend a lot of time in them. The best thing about these books is the fact that even very young children can do them. Kids of even kindergarten age can do them, and can work up to the hundreds. You can print out many dot-to-dot pages from the internet, and hand them over to your kids.
- Introduce him to music
What is a kid who does not love to sing and dance? As a parent, you should introduce him to the vast world of music. After a hard day at office and school, both of you would like to dim the lights and listen to calming spa music. Slip in a relaxing music CD and de-stress your mind together. Listen to classical instrumental music together, and introduce him to:
- Chopin’s nocturnes and preludes
- Cello Suites, Clavier and Goldberg Variations of Bach
- Four Seasons of Vivaldi
As he studies or does his homework, you can let calming classical music play in the background.
- Look at family photos
Life is not all about studies and relaxation. It is also about knowing the people around you, and it should start right from your home. Have your kids go through the family photo albums, and know his immediate as well as distant members of the family. Going through old photographs is an amazing way of reminding children of who they should love. It can help them to know about the history of their family, and their own culture.
- Play with sand
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. You can play with sand trays and dough, and give your kid a feel of how life was for you as a child. There is every bit of chance that he will love the experience. You can teach him how to build sand castles and figurines. The next time you are at the beach during the weekend, you will find him building some of the finest sand homes, castles and faces.
- Take a walk together
You may also go together and take a walk amidst nature. This is an amazing way to help your child connect with nature, and to you. Teach him about the plants, trees and birds that you know of. Take your camera along and click photos together for some fantastic nature photography. Once you get the photos developed or printed, you can save them in a scrapbook.
- Have a picnic
When is the last time you had a picnic together? Once your children come back home from school, take them out for a picnic to some scenic spot nearby. After a long and hectic day at school, this will be a great way for them to relax with you.
By doing these kinds of relaxations you can make prepare your child to take next load of assignments. For more information about “How to make your child ready for loads of assignments?†you can go through several online professional websites.