Spring Break

March Means Spring Break to a Lot of Mamas and Their Teens

The winter holidays are past. There was a federal holiday in January and one in February, but a lot of businesses and schools skip one or both. Many teens have their eyes set on Spring Break.

The potential for a great holiday is something to look forward to, but as a mama, you’ve got a lot to take into consideration.

Do you have the time to take off? I hope you do, and I hope you’ll use it. According to Money.com, “In 2023, 62% of workers with PTO did not use all of their vacation time, letting a third of it go to waste.” Use your PTO. Employers do not struggle taking it away when you exceed their banked hours limits.

If you don’t have the PTO, is it possible for your teen to go to work with you? Teens benefit from learning what you do for a living. If they can’t be with you specifically, is there another part of your workplace where they can “intern” for the day? Letting your teen into your world often helps them learn more about you. Plus, it looks great on a resume and gives your teen a chance to learn about different careers.

If you do have the time, you may be thinking a vacation with a teen may not be the most relaxing option, and you wouldn’t be the first mama to think that way! Consider putting some of the onus on your teen. Ask him if he wants to put together a short trip itinerary. Give him a budget, and see what he comes up with. Your teen will be much more “agreeable” on the trip if he knows what to expect and is looking forward to the destination. Take as many of his ideas into consideration as you’d like, and build the trip.

If your teen even tries any of the planning, you will have a better understanding of what she might enjoy doing. Did she include specific restaurants? Maybe she wants to go to all of the Hard Rock Cafes. I know other people who are doing their best to see all of the national parks. My best friend loves Lego bricks. A trip to Legoland in any city would make him happy.

Depending on the age of your teen, the trip could be anything. Thinking back on one Spring Break when I was a teen, we were watching movies on the giant TV in the hotel room. Mama asked if we wanted to go on the itinerary we had planned for the day or just stay in. We didn’t have cable at home, so the TV was a treat. For one day, we made a schedule that included the pool/hot tub, 3 movies, and food delivery. There was no stress. It was an awesome day even if we didn’t go see the sights.

If money is tight, plan for a day trip. Find an exhibit your teen might enjoy. Ask your teen for ideas. Go bowling. Walk your neighborhood or a park and take pictures. I’ve created several picture scavenger hunts for spring. Reach out if you’d like more information.

A staycation is a whole other possibility. One of my past guest speakers shared what that looked like between hiring a cleaning service beforehand, ordering premade food ahead of time, and more. Happy to share the interview : )

What would bring you and your teen joy, even if it was just one day or one special occasion to celebrate Spring Break?

Unfortunately, different schools have different schedules, so you may have an entirely different headache on your hands.

When I went to college and my sister was still in high school, our Spring Breaks were no longer at the same time. Why was my college Spring Break in FEBRUARY?! It brought up the problem of no real Spring Break, or what do we do?

Most parents are more likely to take their teen out of high school rather than college. I understand that thought process. High schools are typically more forgiving of late work and retaking tests.

We didn’t work it out, but maybe you and your teen can. I’m all for travel. It’s important that people see and learn about MORE than where they live, especially when they’re kids and young adults.

But, if your teen uses borrowed time aka takes a Spring Break NOT during Spring Break, some prep work needs to be done first.

I’ve worked with and had teachers who have their classroom plans figured out through the end of the school year before they return from winter break. If your teen has that type of teacher and you know that your teen will be missing some school days, your teen needs to reach out to the teacher as soon as possible and see how the teacher wants missing schoolwork handled. Don’t force your teen; instead create a plan with your teen on how to make the trip successful, including a discussion about how to prep and how to come back from the trip.

It’s your teen who is altering the schedule, not the teacher. This is an event where soft skills can make a big difference. If your teen doesn’t make contact before the absence, the teacher may be less flexible. For your teen, this is an opportunity to work on time management as well as organization. There is no guarantee every teacher will be sympathetic, and you and your teen need to be prepared for potential consequences.

Not all teachers are so well prepared. Some teachers can’t tell your teen what the assignments are ahead of time. In that case, have your teen tell the teacher about the planned absence and make sure your teen knows the policy for turning in late work. Thank you, syllabi!

As a mama, you may be thinking YOU are the one who should contact every teacher. You can contact the school office to make sure the days will be excused, but it is your teen who is in class. It is your teen who knows her schedule and her teachers. This is the opportunity for your teen to practice those soft skills she’ll need every day for the rest of her life.

The most important thing for you and your teen to do before Spring Break: be PROactive.

Spring Break can be a great time to connect with your teen, but it can also be stressful. Maybe there’s a large project hanging over your teen’s head. Or maybe a week is long enough for your teen to begin to forget what he did before the break.

That’s why I believe so much in study skills like organization. If you go on an extended break with your teen, he needs to know how to access assignments via the internet and how to turn them in. He needs to know due dates. You know that when you take time off from your job that there will be expectations before you go as well as when you back. It’s no different for your teen.

Science has also shown us over and over that a little bit of review can make a huge difference in memory retention. Notes make reviewing so much easier before returning to class (so long as your teen’s notes contain the right information!) If your teen knows how to take quality notes, the review time will be brief, but effective. Have your teen consider getting any work he’ll miss ahead of time as well as chapter pages, readings, PowerPoints, etc. to review on his own and to take notes from.

If learning is hard, it’s a lot less fun… for you AND your teen.

With the right study skills, your teen will have a better break, and so will you. There will be less stress and more opportunities to enjoy time with family.

No matter what you do or where you go, I’m wishing you the best Spring Break possible.