During the year, during the course, there are quite strict schedules that we have to follow for family functioning. Alarm clocks, alarms, bells, clocks ... they mark us every day and children get used to the routine more or less easily (waking up is usually the most complicated sometimes ...).
On holidays, it is normal for schedules to relax And we can ask ourselves, how will it affect our children? Do we have to follow the strict schedules of the rest of the year? Can we be more flexible? Every family is a world, but in general children are very similar and changes in family hours will not affect you too much ...
They can even be beneficial for them, in the case, for example, that they can sleep more, rest better. Of course, when September comes again we will have to accommodate the schedules to the strictest operation, and it is always convenient not to do it abruptly but gradually.
What should not be played too much when it comes to relaxing schedules is the theme of meals. That is, we are not going to make the child go hungry, which affects physical performance and well-being in general. That is why it is good that we go well "equipped" in our days of beach or excursions ... and always have a lunch or a place to eat at hand.
Nor should skip meals, because the best way to receive the energy contribution for the child is distributed at those times throughout the day, but if breakfast, lunch, lunch, snack or dinner are later, nothing happens. In general, after a week of vacation we may see that we establish a "new routine" that works well for the whole family ...
I speak, of course, about children and not babies, because in your case breastfeeding is on demand and there are no established rhythms there and little is understood of schedules (also in regard to sleep) during the first months.
In the case of the nights, there are children who feel bad at night, but others will be delighted to see that life still exists beyond nine o'clock at night (and that it is still day!). In general, on vacation it gets more night and it is usually with activities that children like, go for a walk, have an ice cream, play on the beach ... Surely they will rest better that night, just like us, especially because the next day you don't have to get up early.
Mind you, I'm not talking about doing "after hours" sessions, we just don't obsess about maintaining strict winter routines and being able to delay bedtime while extending to get up ...
Do you have summer duties?
In addition, another issue regarding the relaxation of schedules that we have to take into account is: Do I want my son to keep a school rhythm One hour for homework, another time for reading and one more hour for drawing? So many duties do they recommend and recommend on vacation? Are there no other ways to reinforce knowledge?
At the moment it has not happened to me, but I fear that it will happen to me at school as it has happened to many people: a very large sheet of "recommendations" that oblige Children to make three cards a day and two books a week, not forgetting English. What madness! Of course, there is always the option to ignore the suggestions or reduce them considerably ...
A walk on the beach or the market, a home cooking session, crafts ... can be very stimulating and entertaining, apart from teaching more to a child than ten sheets of a holiday notebook. There will be children who "ask" for homework, but not always at the same time, there will be others who want to see the books and we will have to accompany them to get their "more attractive" side ...
Reading in older children is the best way to learn, also when we read them. A blank page, its first letters, drawing the best moments of the holidays, making sums in the supermarket or in the sand of the beach ... there are a thousand ways for children to continue learning.
What we cannot claim is to load the day of academic activities, if we want to set a specific schedule, that is short. Experts advise against loading children with activities that can bore you and cause an opposite effect. Children need to have fun, play and learn while having fun and playing. And also, let's not forget, do physical activity, play a lot and move. Also, rest. Does it seem difficult to combine everything on the same day? It is probably much easier than adapting to the rigid winter hours ...
So if we want the "school routine" to continue with us on vacation and establish a certain "study" schedule, that are a few hours a day and also that there are rest days, trying not to force the child but accompany him to do the homework Be nice.
In the event that we opt for activities such as summer academies, summer schools, half-day camps ... let's keep in mind that the rest of the day really do different things. In this way, they acquire the cognitive and social benefits of these activities but also "rest" and have fun with others.
The point is that if we dispense with strict schedules in summer, it is most likely that the family rhythm would appreciate it, that the children are happier and more rested (because they will get more tired to bed ...) Or is it not what happens to adults on vacation? September will arrive for both children and us to adapt to the new schedules.
Photos | Thinkstock
In Babies and more | What do we do with the routines in summer ?, Children watch more television in summer, Ten more ideas for your children to learn on vacation
