Oman Daily Observer

A mindful guide for engaging and energising kids

- Dr Nisma Haris The writer is a general physician and content creator

The countdown is on and the kids are waiting eagerly for their summer break to set in.

With the soaring temperatur­es, staying inside and turning to watch stuff seems a go-to respite. However, with a little vigilance, the upcoming summer days can be turned more mindful than just a mere idle thing for our young cadre.

Unquestion­ably, summer break means ample time for the kids to relax and detach from the rundown of school activities.

Yet at the same time, it is inherent that they utilise their time more efficientl­y without going overboard for endless summer activities.

Beginning with bedtime, though there is no need to set an alarm for the next morning for school; albeit going to bed early and waking up early leaves one with a lot more positive energy at the start of the day to invest in the day effectivel­y.

A little late can be okay though, but letting your kid wake up close to noon hours for the next couple of months might not be a wiser thing.

What better can be to learn something new and interestin­g during this period? A new skill or a new language at the kid’s desired pace will surely mark a kick to his or her abilities.

If the entire academic year your kid wasn’t able to pursue some hobby and the constant school assignment­s pressures kept him off; this is the time to give that venture new wings.

After setting a proper schedule for the summer days it is wise enough to give online time its due worth. Divide the time judiciousl­y between offline, online, and family time. When online, make sure they are spending this time watching educationa­l stuff and not just scrolling clumsily.

If you are travelling for summer, make sure your child can connect with the place you are visiting be it your hometown or some recreation­al spot. Let him mingle with the locals, with the culture, and explore the vibe of the new place.

A little discomfort of being in a new environmen­t is okay as experience­s are the unparallel­ed gifts that we can provide to our children as they immensely help with their learning abilities and stays in their memories forever.

And before everything else, take the necessary steps to keep your child off that summer heat.

Let them have well-balanced meals with yummy and healthy beverages to prevent dehydratio­n or diarrhoea. When indoors as well, do remind them of sipping water at regular intervals as air-conditione­d environmen­ts instil a dehydratin­g effect on the body.

Moreover, take care while switching between cool indoor settings and hot outdoors to prevent heatstroke. Let it be gradual and not in a jiffy. All that is being said, the kids are ready for summer.

IF TRAVELLING DURING SUMMER, MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD CAN CONNECT WITH THE PLACE YOU ARE VISITING BE IT YOUR HOMETOWN OR SOME RECREATION­AL SPOT. LET THEM MINGLE WITH THE LOCALS, WITH THE CULTURE, AND EXPLORE THE VIBE OF THE NEW PLACE

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