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Health & Fitness

Summer Time

Summer vacation is a time that most families look forward to all year, as it enables them to spend more time together and for many, there are fewer responsibilities.  It is a great time of year as the good weather provides  more opportunities for leisure time activities.  Even something as simple as a walk on a summer evening can be a lovely way for a family to spend time together.

 

The summer can also provide students with the opportunity to develop new skills and explore different and perhaps new activities.  A teen may  have a job or  look for opportunities to volunteer at a local agency or hospital.  Taking accelerated courses or investigating a new interest at one of the local Westchester colleges can expand the student’s interests.  Some colleges offer language immersion courses that can be very beneficial to a child.

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In the summer there is more time for parents to help their child refine and develop their emotional, social and coping skills.  As a result, their teen may be better able to deal with the social and academic pressures once they return to school.    For instance, helping anxious teens explore ways to deal with stress could help them develop skills that can be used for the rest of their lives.  Some ways to do this might be to encourage your teen to explore meditation, take a teen yoga class, engage in regular exercise, take walks,  run, and incorporating a regime that includes healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and avoiding too much sugar and caffeine.

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There are many good reasons to help your teen develop social skills by doing role-playing or taking the time to discuss ways to handle challenging situations.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in its guide entitled Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents says that positive social skills, effective resistance skills and effective communication skills can  prevent substance abuse.  Emotional regulation and impulse control are also very important

 

The guide also discusses the value of  strong connections between children and significant others including parents, peers, teachers or other important adults as a way of preventing drug abuse.  Those strong relationships are more difficult to make if a child lacks social skills and the ability to make connections.  Summer provides the opportunity for teens to practice these skills and develop relationships with new peers at camp, summer jobs, volunteer opportunities or during visits with extended family members.

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