Summer plans: the summer holidays are almost here and most GCSE and A levels exams are over. Your teens will be relieved… and, indeed, so will you! But how do you avoid a summer with your cherished son or daughter glued to a screen? Here at Lumos we advocate helping your teenager make plans for the summer plans that will not only provide valuable learning opportunities but also provide a life-enriching summer experience. To help them navigate the weeks ahead, here a few ideas to suggest to your teenager:
Voluntary work
Encouraging your son or daughter to look for some voluntary work will both increase their sense of responsibility and their communication skills. It will also make them feel part of their local community in a more meaningful way. Voluntary work can vary from charity shops on the high street, to working in a care home or even volunteering in area that you teenager might see as a future career- such as a vets’ surgery.
Part-time job
A part-time summer job will work wonders for your teen’s confidence. Better still, it will enable them to earn their own money and get a sense of how to manage their own finances.
Summer schools
There are some superb summer schools, both in the UK and abroad which will help your child to make new friends, develop resilience, learn new skills and make new friends from other cultures. In Western Europe, there are very well-run summer schools which will allow your child to improve their French, German, Spanish or Italian. For your budding Classicist, the Greek and Latin summer camps held at Bryanston School in Dorset, UK, are superb.
Internships
A properly researched and well-planned internship can be an ideal way for your teenager to spend their summer plan. It is important for them to choose an area which interests them and a company that will provide them with stimulating support and a supportive work environment.
Future plans
The summer holidays are a great time to discuss your son or daughter’s hopes for the future. If they are considering college or university, order course brochures and let them sit down, browse and discover what future opportunities excite them.
The summer holidays should be a break from school and exams and allow your teen to relax. They also provide the ideal opportunity for them to explore unchartered waters and discover talents and parts of themselves that they never knew existed.
