June 03, 2024
Providence House continues to build our resident’s WFD skills. Last week, we focused on communicating with others. This week, we will learn skills for parenting and self-care during the summer holidays. Staff uses this language when interacting with our residents this week.
Topic: Parenting and Self-Care
Summer break can be both exciting and challenging. Parents often face some common problems during the summer holidays. Let’s talk about strategies to keep balance and enjoy summer.
Balancing Work and Childcare:
– FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENT
Negotiate flexible work hours for the summer months or remote work options. Summer camps can help parents find a balance between work responsibilities and childcare.
– SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES EQUALLY
Collaborate with your partner, co-parent, or other family members to share childcare duties, such as dropping or picking up the children to and from activities.
Keeping Children Engaged and Entertained:
– PLANNING ACTIVITIES
Create a schedule and plan age-appropriate activities. Be sure to include outdoor experiences where possible.
– ENROLL IN SUMMER PROGRAMS
Find out about summer camps, recreational programs, or specialized workshops tailored to children’s interests.
– EMBRACE NATURE
Encourage children to spend time outdoors and explore nature. It can be as simple as going to your local park and observing, having a picnic, or playing.
– MANAGE SCREEN TIME
Establish clear rules and time limits for screen usage on phones, tablets, and computers. Kids’ mental health can be negatively impacted by too much screen time.
– FAMILY ROUTINES
Establish special routines for your family. This gives some structure while still being fun and gives kids something to look forward to, like movie nights or a craft activity together.
– COMMUNICATE
Discuss the expectations you have for the kids during their holidays. Also talk about boundaries, behavior, and responsibilities.
This week’s Life Skill lesson is about mental health. Throughout the campus, staff will share with clients about ways they’ve been able to practice self-care and parent effectively. There will be honest discussions about about mistakes made and how they have learned from those mistakes. As always, there is space left for questions and continues dialogue.
Workforce Development at Providence House is open to its residents and the community as a whole. Have questions? Contact Dr. Whittney Polley, Director of Education at 318-221-7887 or wpolley@theprovidencehouse.com.