Fall Days are in full swing and the days are getting shorter. As a mom with children in middle and high school, that means I am trapped in matrix of what feels like long days with two little ones but even longer nights with the teens. In my home we strive for academic excellence and with that comes long nights working on assignments and studying. With the stress of school work and sometimes extra - curricular activities holding our teens/tweens hostage during the fall, I couldn't help but think about what helped me during undergrad with studying and staying focused. Here are a couple ideas I have given my girls that seem to work pretty well. Try them out with your teen.
1. Change your scenery. I don't know about you but I have a room that is off limits in my home and that is the living room. This room is typically the only room that looks like there aren't 7 people occupying just about every square footage of the home. Nevertheless, I do have exceptions to the rule and that is for studying. I believe that a change in scenery can give you a recharge and allows the change in environment to help you navigate through the daunting task of studying.
2. Create Serenity. I Know there is nothing serene about studying however, soft, very soft music playing can sometimes calm your nerves. In addition to this, get your child a diffuser and get the therapeutic aromas of essential oils going. These oils really do calm anxiousness. It's nice to create a space that provides tranquility.
3. Clean up! I don't know about you but I cannot study or focus in a messy room. I need to have my study space clear so that I can think clearly. With a lot of clutter, it can be a distraction. I encourage my girls to clean up their space in an effort to have a study space that allows them to focus on the content and not why that shirt is on the floor.
4. Grab snacks and tea. No, I am not for eating in your room but I understand how studying and homework can be (I literally was just there a couple months ago). So, I tell them to gather a couple of snacks from the kitchen, make a cup of tea and dive into the school work.
5, TAKE A BREAK. I know how important it is for my girls to submit great work and with that comes long nights depending on the assignment. When I see that they are swamped and appear exhausted, I encourage them to take a power nap. I do this because I remember how those naps helped me! If they don't nap I invite them to watch a TV show to allow their brain an opportunity to rest and give their eyes a break from the text.
I am not an expert, I am a mom with some advice to share because I have tried it myself. Motherhood is all about community. It's about sharing knowledge and resources, in an effort to work together to nurture a community of young people, who will grow to be bigger people that we will need one day. Try these tips and let me know how it worked out for your kid.
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