Preparing for Your Young Adult to be Home for the Holidays
The holiday season is rife with emotion for people of all ages. In principle, it is a time of family reunification, gift giving, and celebration. In reality, it can put stress on all members of the family in many different ways. For young adults in particular, it can bring about certain anxieties, such as:
A change in routine: Whether it is a week in high school or a month in college, it can be difficult to adjust to a completely new at-home routine. Being away from friends, and generally not having as much structure to the day can feel isolating.
Travel: Many people travel to see family during this time, which can be mentally and physically taxing. There can be pressure to seem put together and successful in the eyes of family, unresolved tension with immediate or extended family, and the exhaustion of sitting in traffic for hours. For those in college, navigating solo travel plans for the first time can also be daunting.
Homework burnout: Many schools, in oxymoronic fashion, assign break homework. Even if your child mercifully doesn’t have break homework, there could still be a feeling of burnout from the assigned workload before break started, or anxiety about college applications if they are a senior in high school.
New expectations: The holiday season may unexpectedly bring up insecurities for young adults about where they stand; are they really an adult yet, still a child, neither, both? Are they expected to give gifts? Should they have gotten a job, or accomplished more at school? Are they on the “right” path—do their families think they’re on the “right” path?
Mental health struggles: The colder winter weather and shorter periods of daylight could contribute to anxiety and depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder.
Parents can play a crucial role in alleviating some of these stressors. Here are a few ways to help your child manage:
Create a sense of routine: If your child misses their structured school schedule, you can implement little routines like having breakfast or coffee at the same time every morning for the duration of their break. You can also suggest mindfulness activities, exercise, or creative projects to work on.
Allow your kids to relax and take time for themselves: After the craziness of school, kids usually want to use their break to relax if they can. Don’t necessarily force family activities, and allow for downtime.
Encourage allotted time for homework completion: If your child has work to do over their holiday breaks, encourage them to spread it out so they aren’t crunched for time to finish it before they return to school.
Provide a listening ear: It is not always obvious that your child is struggling or feeling overwhelmed, so checking in and providing a non-judgemental, encouraging environment in which they can share their feelings is very important. It also might help to seek the aid of a mental health professional if you believe it is needed.
Happy holidays! If you or your child need support during this time, feel free to schedule a consultation with Dr. Geary by clicking here.
