How Your Teens Should Be Spending Spring Break
By Anthony ONeal
Your teenager is probably super excited for spring break right about now. And you know what? They should be! High school isn’t easy, and if they’re the type of kid who works hard in their classes, does extracurricular activities, and maybe even has a part-time job, I’m willing to bet they need a rest. It’s called spring break, right?
But spring break is also a great time to do something productive that your teen probably doesn’t have as much time for during the semester. With college around the corner, you don’t want to let this time go to waste. Just be sure not to cram so much in that they end up feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Depending on what kind of teachers your high schooler has, they may pile on homework over the break, or they may take it easy on their students. Keep that in mind as you make your plans, because you don’t want to overload your teen. With that in mind, here are three things your teen should think about doing on their break.
Visit a college
If your family treats it like a road trip, and takes the time to see some cool stuff along the way, visiting a college can turn into a mini-vacation. The actual visit part should be professional, of course, but there’s no reason you can’t have fun exploring the college town, or visiting some nearby attractions once you’re done touring the campus. For some tips on how to make the college visit process as smooth as possible, check out the free Essential College Visit Checklist at anthonyoneal.com/resources.
Apply for scholarships
I always recommend high schoolers spend at least one hour per day searching and applying for scholarships. That shouldn’t stop during spring break, especially if they’re trying to pay cash for college anytime soon. Tell them to set a timer for one hour, knock it out, and then reward themselves with a nap. You can’t do that during a regular school week!
Have fun!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Your teenager needs some time to kick back and relax. Whether it’s spending time with family and friends, doing something they enjoy but haven’t had time to do because of school, or just getting some extra sleep—rest and fun are important. During their break, there’s time for being productive, and there’s time to decompress. You should encourage them to do both.
I hope you and your teen get some good quality time together during spring break this year. And I hope you get a nap in there somewhere, too. As the parent of a high schooler, you deserve it!
