Summer break is one of the best times to be a kid. They get to sleep in, hang out with friends and spend their free time however they want. Unfortunately, that often means scrolling through social media feeds. Kids spending more time on social media during the summer may have negative effects on their mental health.

Learn more about how that could harm your child’s mental health and a few ways to keep them busy this summer.

Ways Social Media Hurts Kids During the Summer

Connecting with people online might seem great, but researchers advise that it happens in moderation. When adolescents spend more than three hours on social media each day, they double their risk of developing anxiety and depression. It relates to kids having virtual experiences such as:

• Seeing posts about summer swimsuits and developing body image issues.
• Watching influencers or their friends go on vacations and becoming jealous.
• Feeling pressured to post more about their personal life like their friends, resulting in sharing too much private information about their families.

Limiting social media use or banning it for specific days may protect your kid’s mental health, especially when they have more free time during summer breaks. If you keep them busy, they’ll have an easier time adjusting to life with less screen time.

How to Keep Your Kids Off Social Media

Young people of any age get upset when they’re bored. Replace screen time with these ideas to make their summer break fun without social media.

1. Sign up for Camps

Organizations know parents need help entertaining their children during summer breaks. You still have to go to work or run errands while they sit at home. Signing them up for summer camps prevents them from getting bored without their social media accounts.

Local groups schedule day and overnight camps to make summer breaks more fun and educational. Your little one could attend a week-long science camp or spend the day with other kids while learning to ride horses. Ask them what hobbies they love most to find camps that are fun, educational or a mix of both.

2. Invest in Summer Tutoring Sessions

Young people may get excited about taking a break from tests during the summer, but those warm weather months are the perfect time to prepare for the upcoming school year. Your child might benefit from a tutor to cover subjects they struggled with during the school year. You can also use free online resources for self-guided study time covering anything from algebra to biology and other difficult subjects.

When it’s time to start algebra in the fall, they’ll do better in school and feel more confident because they took advantage of their summer break with tutoring sessions. Consider what they’ll take this coming year to find tutoring that prepares them for the coming year.

3. Find Summer Sports Teams

Summer sports are another way to keep your kids off social media this summer. Sign them up for basketball, swim team or volleyball lessons. You never know if they’ll discover a new love for a specific sport.

If they do, they could continue their new active hobby with a school team. The community team may also continue through the school year, depending on their funding and schedule.

4. Plan Family Time

Don’t miss out on exciting warm-weather activities during your child’s summer break. You could go to the community pool together or walk around a local nature trail in the evening. Maybe they’d love to camp in the backyard with you. Invite their friends over to make it an extra exciting adventure for everyone.

As long as you spend time together, you’ll boost your child’s well-being, keep them off social media and enjoy all of summer’s fun activities. They’ll also feel more comfortable with your new social media limits if you’re not scrolling through your feeds around them.

5. Attend Seasonal Festivals

The summer months are full of opportunities for festivals. Check your city’s local events calendar to discover what’s happening around town.

Instead of spending time online, your family could attend a parade, a bike festival or cookouts with local volunteer organizations. You’ll show your little one how to find new friends while making fantastic memories.

Enjoy Your Summer as a Family

Plan these fun activities for your kids during their summer break and they won’t mind going without their social media feeds. You’ll help them meet new friends and make memories while protecting them from the potential harm that comes from scrolling through social media all day long.

Author bio:  Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. She strives to live a happy and healthy life with her family by her side.
Follow Cora on Facebook and LinkedIn.

With modern finance being utterly complex, parents should instill good money management habits early in their children’s lives.  This will help to ensure future financial independence for themselves and those closest to them. It will also result in teens pass on what they’ve learned to their own children in the future.

Today’s young generation is not very keen on practicing saving; according to statistics, only 14% of Gen Z members have saved between $1,001 and $2,000, which further emphasizes the importance of saving from a young age. Financial literacy helps teens make informed decisions without incurring debt and secure a comfortable future.

This guide offers parents practical strategies for teaching financial responsibility through saving, budgeting and investing – essential skills necessary for becoming financially independent as adults.

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Saving for the Future: Utilizing Education Savings Plans

One powerful way of teaching financial responsibility is through education savings plans. Depending on where you live, there are different types of savings plans aimed at helping with higher education costs. For example, if you’re Canadian, this plan is referred to as a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP).

In essence, an RESP is a savings account designed to help parents save for postsecondary education costs for their children. But how does an RESP work? This plan allows parents to contribute funds towards their child’s education with the added benefit of government grants and tax-sheltered growth.

Beneficiaries can use RESP funds for educational expenses like tuition fees, textbooks, housing costs and transportation costs. Furthermore, an RESP can remain open for up to 35 years providing beneficiaries with maximum flexibility when planning post-secondary studies. They do not need to begin postsecondary study immediately following high school; funds can be accessed anytime during that period following the opening of the account.

Educating teenagers about RESP mechanics and benefits can show them the value of saving for long-term goals while using available resources efficiently to maximize financial growth.

Budgeting and Saving: Establishing Good Habits

A budget is at the core of financial responsibility. Parents can assist their teens in creating one by helping identify income sources like allowances or part-time jobs and recording expenses – an exercise that emphasizes prioritization and planning skills.

Encouraging regular savings is also vitally important. Establishing a savings account for your teenager provides them with a practical tool for money management, while parents must explain the concept of setting short- and long-term savings goals to teach discipline, delayed gratification, and financial planning skills. This practice not only instills discipline but demonstrates their value.

Educating Teenagers on the Value of Money

Helping teenagers understand the value of money is an integral lesson they must learn before becoming adults, so parents should emphasize its significance by discussing needs versus wants. Needs are essentials such as food and clothing while wants are non-essential items like gadgets that provide unnecessary luxuries or can lead to costly spending habits if unaddressed. Helping teenagers distinguish between needs and wants will enable more informed spending decisions from both ends.

Engaging teenagers in financial discussions within their families is another effective strategy to address money management. By witnessing real-life applications of finance concepts, teenagers will better comprehend all that goes into managing money responsibly and budgeting efficiently.

Establishing the Foundations of Investing

Parents can introduce teenagers to investing by covering basic concepts like saving versus investing as well as the risks and rewards associated with various investments. Explaining compound interest to children can demonstrate how investments grow over time. Parents can use examples or online calculators to demonstrate how even regular, small investments can accumulate over time.

Additionally, discussing various investment mechanisms like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds provides a greater understanding of how the financial markets function; encouraging teenagers to follow financial news or simulate stock market investments using virtual platforms will make learning about investing fun and practical.

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The Bottom Line: Educating Teens on Financial Responsibility

Teaching teenagers about managing money properly is like making an important investment in their future happiness. Parents play a big part in this, showing them how to save money, create budgets, avoid debt, and put away funds for investments. These lessons will help them handle financial difficulties when they become adults. Relying on education savings plans can bring forth the advantages of planning finances over a long period of time and benefits from government grants along with tax-protected growth.

Saving money regularly promotes discipline and accountability, as well as the conversation about what is essential versus what is desired assists teens in making informed choices when spending. Incorporating them into family financial talks gives an actual understanding of money handling and budgeting.

When teenagers’ financial knowledge grows, they are empowered to make good choices about money matters, helping them reach their goals and guarantee a financially stable future. The basic understanding of money management along with these habits will help them in all stages of life.

If you have younger children, the best time to begin teaching financial responsibility is now when they are young.

Many students study hard, but they do not get the desired results. Why? Have you ever wondered why someone is claiming first or second place when you are not one of them?  Well, sometimes you might find that your study process is longer than that of the student with better grades.

Have you ever felt that your study habits were not up to the mark?  Well, it is not always hard work, but smartness is also needed in your study process.

After a certain point in time, the same study process that you followed in school might not work in later stages. With a less personalized approach, busy schedule, and demanding study structure and exams with more values, your old study process might not fit the next stages.

However, the study process becoming difficult and tricky does not mean you have deficiencies within you. It can be that the ways you follow are not up to the mark to attend to the same study standards that you are covering these days.

For instance, studying at home is fine, but if you do not take proper online tuition for biology or any other science subject, that may result in poor marks. The modern studying process follows a structure, and they can help you grasp that structure and maintain a balance between your study process and the ultimate requirements.

So, it is time to follow a decent study process that values your hard work and determination to achieve your educational goals.

Embrace Active Learning

Active learning is about engaging with the material in a meaningful way rather than passively reading or listening. Here are some active learning techniques:

Summarize Information: After studying a section, write a summary in your own words. This helps reinforce understanding and retention.

Teach Others: Explaining concepts to someone else is a powerful way to solidify your understanding. Teaching forces you to organize your thoughts and identify any gaps in your knowledge.

Ask Questions: Continuously ask questions about the material. Why does this happen? How is this connected to other concepts? This deepens your understanding and encourages critical thinking.

Utilize the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can improve productivity and focus.

Work in Intervals: Study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This is one “Pomodoro.” After four Pomodoros, take a longer break (15-30 minutes).

Reduce Burnout: Regular breaks help prevent mental fatigue and keep your mind fresh.

Stay Focused: Knowing that you only have to concentrate briefly can help reduce procrastination and increase focus.

This is called smart study without too much pressure on yourself.

Create a Conducive Study Environment

Your study environment can significantly impact your productivity:

Choose the Right Location: Find a quiet, well-lit place where you can study without interruptions.

Organize Your Space: Keep your study area tidy and free of distractions. An organized space can help you stay focused and reduce stress.

Have the Necessary Supplies: To minimize disruptions, ensure you have all the materials you need (books, notes, stationery) within reach.

A conducive study environment, combined with proper study techniques, creates better learning opportunities for students.

Set Clear, Achievable Goals

Setting clear goals provides direction and motivation.

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

These are the goal types that will help you understand what goals you can consider to achieve. Don’t go with illusions!

Practice Retrieval and Spaced Repetition

These evidence-based techniques can significantly enhance memory and learning:

Retrieval Practice

Test yourself regularly on the material you’ve learned. This could be through practice questions, flashcards, or summarizing information from memory. Retrieval practice strengthens your memory and makes it easier to recall information later.

Spaced Repetition

Review the material at increasing intervals. Instead of cramming, revisit topics over days, weeks, and months. This spaced repetition helps move information from short-term to long-term memory.

Use Multiple Resources

Don’t rely solely on your textbook. Utilizing a variety of resources can provide a broader understanding and different perspectives:

Online Videos and Tutorials: Platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, and YouTube offer educational videos that can clarify complex topics.

Study Groups: Collaborating with peers can provide new insights and help reinforce your learning.

Supplementary Books: Reference books and guides can offer additional explanations and examples.

Incorporate Regular Breaks and Physical Activity

Taking care of your body can improve cognitive function and study efficiency:

Regular Breaks: Short breaks during study sessions can help maintain focus and prevent burnout.

Physical Activity: Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, improving concentration and memory. Even a short walk can help clear your mind and reduce stress.

Stay Organized with Effective Note-Taking 

Good Note-Taking strategies can enhance your study sessions:

Cornell Method: Divide your notes into sections for main ideas, details, and a summary. This structure helps you review and reinforce information.

Mind Mapping: Create visual diagrams that connect concepts and ideas. Mind maps can make complex information more understandable and memorable.

Outline Method: Use headings and subheadings to organize notes hierarchically. This method helps in structuring information logically.

Focus On The Future

Now you know that studying harder is much more stressful and less effective than studying smarter. The way you study must work in the finals. If you cannot put what you have done so far and throughout the year, then there is no point in doing so much.

While you are following the Pomodoro technique and utilizing multiple resources for study purposes, it will help you gain a better understanding of the subject matter, no matter what. And when the concept is clear, you can simply work on it!

Sometimes, in exams, you may find tricky questions. In that type of situation, where most students will fail to write better answers, you can justify your thoughts quite efficiently. You need to prepare yourself for tough conditions, and that is how a smart student works.

Learn to implement strategies that work for your methods. So, it is also about relevance. Covering what others do will not be enough, as you might find yourself in a tricky situation with tough tricks. Instead, it’s better to cover what fits better in your head.

Always focus on your personal growth. Instead of looking at the next examination, find a better trick that can help you throughout your life.

Learn tips for studying with dyslexia.

Colorful packaging and catchy jingles dominate the aisles of grocery stores, talking to kids about the deceptive allure of junk food marketing has never been more crucial. With sugary cereals boasting cartoon characters and snack ads glamorizing unhealthy choices, parents are facing an uphill battle in guiding their children toward nutritious options.

The influence of these marketing tactics on impressionable young minds is profound, shaping their preferences and habits from an early age.

Junk Food Marketing

Talking to kids about junk food marketing is essential because it can influence their choices and undermine healthy eating habits. It’s important to explain to children how advertisements try to convince them to buy unhealthy products. To protect children from such marketing tactics, implementing a 9 pm watershed on TV ads and controlling promotions on websites, sponsorships, and other platforms is crucial.

Guide children towards making healthier choices and educating them on the impact of marketing strategies on their decisions. Starting conversations early with kids about the tactics used in advertising can empower them to make informed choices when faced with junk food marketing.

Ways to Protect Children from Unhealthy Food Marketing

Protecting children from unhealthy food marketing is crucial in promoting healthy eating habits. With $2 billion annually spent on advertisements targeted at children, the prevalence of promotions for unhealthy products like sweetened cereals and sugary drinks is alarming.

These marketing strategies can undermine efforts by parents, caregivers, and educators to teach children about making nutritious food choices. To shield kids from these influences, adults must advocate for stricter regulations on food advertising aimed at youth.

Reduce Screen Time for Kids

Reducing children’s screen time is crucial in today’s digital age, as marketers have found clever ways to target them with unhealthy food ads. This junk food marketing study explains that TV remains a primary source of exposure, companies are utilizing child-friendly websites, mobile apps, and even product placement in various entertainment mediums. To combat this, parents need to set limits on screen time and be actively involved in monitoring the content their children are exposed to.

Watching programs together and discussing any advertisements that promote unhealthy foods can help educate kids about making healthier choices. Recording shows that skipping through commercials is a useful strategy to minimize the impact of junk food advertising on young minds.

Use Child-Targeted Food Marketing as A Teaching Moment

Child-targeted food marketing can serve as a valuable teaching moment for children. By starting conversations about advertising at a young age, parents and educators can help children develop critical thinking skills. When a child requests a product after seeing an advertisement, it presents an opportunity to explain the purpose and tactics of advertising.

Emphasizing nutritious alternatives like those offered by Whole Food Earth can be a strategic way to counterbalance the temptations of junk food marketing. By introducing kids to organic whole foods, parents can create positive associations with healthy eating while nurturing their child’s well-being.

Teaching children to recognize persuasive techniques empowers them to make informed decisions about their consumption habits. Discussing how advertisements may emphasize certain qualities of a product or package information in a particular way can help children become more media literate.

Be The Best Healthy Role Model

Being a healthy role model for kids is important in shaping their behaviors and attitudes toward nutrition and exercise. Parents and educators can demonstrate the benefits of eating nutritious foods and staying active by incorporating them into their daily routines.

By showing children that these activities are enjoyable and natural, they are more likely to follow suit. Consistent exposure to healthy behaviors can help children develop lifelong habits that support their overall well-being.

Be An Advocate

Schools have become a prime target for food marketers looking to advertise to children. From posters to scoreboards with food company logos, various tactics are used to promote unhealthy foods during the school day. Check if your child’s school has a wellness policy in place to prevent such marketing practices.

To protect children from being influenced by unhealthy food advertising in educational settings. By taking action, you can help create a healthier environment for students and promote better eating habits.