Back to school health tips for parents.
For parents with children between 5 and 20, September always marks a big change.
The realisation that your child is a year older really hits home at the start of the academic year. New school, new uniform, exams, no uniform, open days at universities, apprenticeships or leaving home. That all happens in September.
And each year brings new challenges for the relationship between you and your child. In a natural process, your child is moving further away from you (sometimes literally when they move out) and start to live more and more their own life.
It is the time in your life when you realise that not only your children are moving on, but it’s also you who have added a year to your life.
And the question that rises is: ‘Have I moved on?’
Facilitating your child to become more independent, taking on more responsibilities, developing new skills and getting new experiences is an important job.
But why should it not apply to you as well?
I am noticing my 18 year old enjoying life to the full. With a lot of first time experiences: first girlfriend, being drunk, camping with friends, driving his own car, a 5-day festival, travelling on his own and so it goes on. His life is very exciting and he thrives on it. And it’s all down to the first time experiences.
What first time experiences do you give yourself?
It might become more challenging to find a first time experience, but you can create them easily.
How about brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand? Picking up an instrument? Reading a type of book you think ‘is not my thing’?
Exposing yourself to new experiences will make you more open-minded and life becomes more interesting as you discover. This lovely story about the value of new discoveries confirms this.
If you broaden your horizon and just go for new experiences, you can only win. If you would like to talk about this, you can book a free coaching call with me.
