Hello everyone, I am pediatrician Li Liqiang. Today, I want to talk to you about why summer vacation becomes a peak period for children’s mental health issues and how parents should handle it correctly.
1. Disruption of learning and living routines
During the summer vacation, children are suddenly freed from the intense study schedule and often fall into a disordered state of life. Staying up late playing games or watching TV at night, feeling listless during the day, lacking sufficient sleep and a regular routine. This change in lifestyle not only affects children’s physical health but also poses a threat to their mental health. Prolonged lack of goals and motivation can make children feel empty and lost, leading to emotional issues such as depression and anxiety.
2. Social isolation
At school, children spend time with classmates every day, having ample opportunities for social interaction. However, during the summer vacation, many children are left alone at home, lacking communication and interaction with peers. This sudden change in social relationships can make children feel lonely and bored, leading to self-isolation where they are unwilling to engage with the outside world. Long-term lack of social activities not only impacts children’s social skills but can also intensify feelings of loneliness and depression.
3. Intensification of parent-child conflicts
During the summer vacation, the time children spend with parents significantly increases, potentially highlighting previously subtle family conflicts. Adolescents are in a rebellious phase with strong self-centeredness, coupled with high expectations from parents, disputes can easily arise over minor matters. If parents fail to manage parent-child relationships correctly and opt for harsh disciplinary methods, it can lead to tension or even break in the relationship. This tense family atmosphere undoubtedly brings enormous psychological pressure to children, exacerbating their mental health problems.
4. Discrepancy between ideals and reality
Many parents arrange various supplementary and interest classes for their children during the summer vacation, hoping they will excel and achieve better results. However, these high expectations often clash with children’s own wishes and abilities, causing them immense stress and exhaustion. When a significant gap occurs between the actual summer vacation life and the child’s ideal state, they may experience feelings of failure and loss, triggering a series of psychological issues.
5. Escalation of internet dependency
With the widespread use of the internet and smartphones, the internet has become an indispensable part of children’s daily lives. However, during the relatively free time of summer vacation, many children may excessively immerse themselves in online games, social media, and other virtual worlds. This internet dependency not only disconnects children from the real world but also affects their social skills, learning abilities, and mental health. Prolonged internet addiction can lead to anxiety, depression, and even severe consequences like internet addiction.
Summer vacation should be a wonderful time for children to relax, learn, and grow, but unfortunately, it has become a peak period for mental health problems. Faced with this issue, parents, schools, and society should all take responsibility and collectively pay attention to children’s mental health. Parents should help children develop good sleep habits, manage holiday activities wisely, improve parent-child communication and interaction; schools should provide mental health education and counseling services; society should create a conducive environment for growth and reduce unnecessary pressure on children. Only by doing so can we ensure that children have a healthy, happy, and meaningful summer vacation. #Children’s Mental Health#
