Between band practices, various sports teams, clubs, homework and time with friends today’s kids have busy schedules that can rival those of many adults. With so many things going on in their lives it’s possible for kids to get after school activity (AHA) burnout. They get tired of being pulled in different directions and start to be frustrated by all of the demands being put on them. Being a kid isn’t all fun and games anymore; today you have to stay busy, stay involved and always stay one step ahead and think of the future. For a child, that can be exhausting! To minimize the potential for AHA burnout, all you have to do is keep these key points in mind and focus on your child’s health so that they’ll stay healthy for years to come.
Nutrition
Part of staying healthy is ensuring that they are eating properly and taking vital vitamins as well. As we age, we unfortunately become less efficient at recovering from connective tissue injuries from children’s sports and more. However, if you provide kids with the correct nutrition and vitamins, such as glucosamine, your kids will stay healthy for years to come.
Other important key factors that you should keep in mind are listed below:
Free time
Be sure children have some free time in their schedule and that not every minute after school is filled with an activity. It’s exhausting for a child to have a full day at school, a jam-packed after school day, do homework and then head off to bed. Just like the rest of us, kids need some down time and they appreciate the ability to decompress at the end of a long day. .
Make Choices
Children need to choose which after school activities are most important to them. It isn’t possible to do everything all the time. Doing too many things can be overwhelming, stressful and lead to burnout.
When to quit
It can be hard to let go of dreams…especially when they are for our children. Too often, parents start their kids in an activity because they are sure that the child will excel at it. Unfortunately, the child is only human and the parent has to face the realization that their youngster is not the prodigy they believed him or her to be. It’s important for parents to understand this and allow kids the opportunity to quit an activity and move on to something they may be better at and embrace more.
So use these tips and don’t let after school activities overwhelm your child and cause burnout!
Ellen is a blogger who loves playing card games with her nieces and nephews on school vacation.
1 Comment
Nutrition talaga. Dindin is not yet in school but there are activities that I know are stressful for her. When we get home, I give her a dose of Vitamin C and also her chewable vitamins.