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In Your Teens In The SummerEvery year, your teenage children look forward to one thing, more than anything else, summer vacation.  Summer means two things, no school and lounging around with friends while enjoying beautiful weather.  However, often they take it to the extreme, spending their entire summer doing absolutely nothing, when they should be taking advantage of their free time.  If you want to avoid this, I suggest sitting down with your teens at the end of the school year and mapping out a plan to get them active.  While relaxation is important, having some kind of structure in place during the summer helps keep your teen on track to be successful in the following school year.  In fact, there have been many studies that confirm there actually is a summer learning loss due to two months being wasted by sitting on the couch.  This does not mean your child has to be enrolled in summer classes.  However, your goal as a parent should be to help your teenager retain their skills, gain some life experience, and enjoy their summer.

Although many teens enjoy relaxing in the summer, a lot of them are excited about getting a job, for the first time.  This is the first step towards adulthood; making money on their own and establishing their own level of independence.  However, students often run into a couple of problems when looking for a job, mainly caused by employers looking for older people to employ, rather than a 15 or 16-year-old.  Therefore, the jobs that are available are usually undesirable.  Seasonal work moves quickly, and jobs get snatched up before many students begin to even look for a summer job, often by college students.  One way you can help your teen is by helping them craft both a resume and a cover letter.  While this may seem a little silly for a 15-year-old, remember that the clubs and sports they participate in are valuable experiences, as are any more informal jobs such as babysitting or helping an elderly neighbor shovel their driveway.  These small additions may give them an advantage over other students, as many people apply for the same seasonal jobs.  Furthermore, if your teen is interested in a particular career or area of study, you should encourage them to volunteer or apply for an internship in that field.  For example, if they are passionate about animals, they can gain valuable experience by volunteering at a local shelter.  They may not be making money, but these jobs can still be extremely rewarding and highly educational.  Being gainfully employed during the summer helps your teen stay on track for the school year by promoting healthy sleep habits and a good work ethic.

kids enrolled in summer programsAnother good option for teens during the summer is to enroll in a class or two.  Many colleges will have classes that are available for high school students.  This is also a great way for your children to explore educational options that may not be offered at their high school.  If they can take summer classes at their high school, it may lessen their workload during the school year, when they also may want to participate in time-consuming extra curriculars, like varsity sports or drama programs.  In doing so, they can take more difficult classes without the worry of having a full course load.  However, the most important thing to remember for your teens is balance.  This means balancing fun downtime with educational or occupational experiences.  For some, this means taking classes and spending time at the beach.  For others who want more structure, they can look to attend or even work at summer camps, which includes outdoor adventures and creative activities.  By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your teens have a fulfilling yet fun summer vacation experience.

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