Less of the Grind

🌟Weekly Inspiration🌟

How can this school year feel like less of a grind for youth? Too many young people feel like life is a grind 💔.  Some ideas off the top:

*Block Schedule
*No Zero period
*APs only in classes that your child truly is interested in
*Letting go of activities that no longer serve your child
*Not doing “things” only to get into college
*Not taking classes just to have an easy A (to help get into college)
*Not having parents track their every move on Life 360
*Let them pick their elective
*Family value of downtime, nights with less rigor/overscheduling, service just because it feels good
*Family dinner/Family time where adults are not allowed to discuss grades/college/sports


What helps youth to feel more like a teenager, not like a mini-adult:

*Freedom in their schedule
*Opportunities to be social, date, goof off, and get a part time job
*Avoiding constant conversation about college or organized sports/activities
*Chilling
*When parents don’t behave like every mistake is going to limit their choices in life
*Play. Creativity. Nature. Space. Privacy. Pets. Chores.

Some things you have control over… some things you do not. How can you maximize letting them be kids still and not feel like adults grinding away? Adults shouldn’t be grinding away with no joy or downtime either…but children really should not! 

Ask Yourself:

Do my kids feel like life is a grind?  Do I want them to?
How can I maximize balance and let them incorporate fun into their daily lives (note:  their idea of fun likely has nothing to do with you being involved)!
Is my kid too responsible?  Too mature? Too cooperative?  What could be the pitfalls of this?
Is my kid too irresponsible?  Immature?  Uncooperative?  What could be the pitfalls of this?
How can I best see the kid in front of me?  What do they actually need from me as they grow and develop this next year?

Be well.