المملكة: Specialists for"today": Summer vacation is an opportunity to raise children…and electronic addiction is the most prominent challenge

Specialists in social, family and health affairs have emphasized the importance of the family’s role in following up on children during the summer vacation period that we are experiencing by rearranging priorities and investing time in what benefits the individual. Creating a balanced plan for vacation that combines entertainment and benefit, as vacation represents a valuable opportunity to restore balance to children’s lives, develop their skills, strengthen family ties, and build healthy habits Protects children.

Useful investment for vacation

The director of the Asriya Center for Family Guidance in Al-Ahsa, Raed Al-Naim, said: "Vacation is a valuable opportunity to rearrange priorities and invest time in what benefits the individual and the family, away from wasting hours on useless practices. Therefore, it is important for parents to be careful to develop a balanced plan for vacation that combines entertainment and benefit, in a way that contributes to building the personality of their children and developing their abilities.".
He emphasized that one of the most prominent areas of Useful investment for vacation Developing children’s skills by enrolling in training courses appropriate to their ages, and encouraging them to practice hobbies that develop their creativity, such as reading, drawing, programming, sports, and handicrafts. These activities enhance self-confidence and give them experiences that will remain with them in the future.
Children’s participation in volunteer work and community activities instils in them the values of responsibility, belonging, and giving, gives them communication and teamwork skills, and gives them a sense of importance. Their role is in serving society, and self-development should not be limited to children only. Rather, vacation also represents an opportunity for adults to invest time in acquiring new skills, developing personal interests, reading books, attending training programs, or learning a practical skill that will benefit in life and work.

He added that a successful vacation is not about traveling or a lot of moving or spending, but rather about investing time well, making useful memories, and achieving a balance that combines rest, entertainment, and human building, so that everyone comes back more knowledgeable. And experience, and closeness to their families and their community.

The role of the family towards their children during the vacation period

Family advisor Abdullah Bursis said, vacation represents a valuable opportunity to restore balance to the children’s lives, develop their skills, and strengthen family ties. However, investing it properly requires a conscious role from the family in organizing time and reducing staying up late and negative habits that may affect health, achievement, and behavior.

He added that the importance of the family’s role in organizing children’s time lies in the fact that it is the first party responsible for instilling the values ​​of discipline and taking responsibility. Having specific times for sleeping and waking up, and distributing the hours of the day between different activities, helps children benefit from vacation without falling into chaos or excessive use of electronic devices and staying up late.
For the family to succeed in this, it must develop a balanced daily plan that takes into account the needs and inclinations of the children. This plan may include time for play and entertainment, hours for reading or learning a new skill, exercising, and participating in household chores, in addition to family visits and useful social activities.
It is important to involve the children in preparing this plan; Because participation enhances commitment and a sense of responsibility, and the presence of a balanced daily routine that combines rest, entertainment, and learning is one of the most important reasons for the success of vacation.
Rest is a right for children after a long school year, but entertainment should be purposeful, and be coupled with activities that develop intellectual, physical, and social abilities, which contributes to building a balanced personality prepared for the future, and in this context, the role of parents is highlighted in following up and guiding without imposing or restricting.
Positive dialogue, encouragement, and setting a good example are more important. Effect of direct orders and ongoing punishments. When children feel confident and respected, they are more cooperative and committed to the family system.

He explained that a successful vacation is not just a time for rest, but rather a valuable educational opportunity that the family invests in building children, enhancing values, and establishing healthy habits that protect them from staying up late and neglecting, and help them achieve balance and happiness in their lives.

Vacation and children’s health

The family physician, Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamam, said: "With the beginning of summer vacation, families spend more time at home or in outdoor activities, and here the role of the family is highlighted in building healthy habits that protect its members, especially with the rise in temperatures we are witnessing. It is important to encourage children to drink water regularly, avoid going out at noon, and choose the appropriate times for outdoor activities, while being careful to wear appropriate clothing and use sunscreen when needed.".

He continued: "As a result of my supervision of school health, I have come across many situations that confirm the importance of healthy habits in the lives of our children. I remember one of them that happened in my clinic. A family came to me because of a clear change in their child’s behavior after vacation. He became lethargic, irritable, and had poor concentration. After talking to them, it became clear that he used to sleep after dawn, wake up in the afternoon, and spend most of his day in front of Electronic devices, the beautiful thing is that the problem was not a disease, but rather the result of an unhealthy lifestyle, and with regulating sleep, reducing screen time, and returning to movement and activity, it improved significantly within a short period."

He continued: "Health on vacation is not limited to what happens outside the home, but also begins from within. Paying attention to balanced meals, increasing the number of vegetables and fruits, reducing sugary drinks and fast food, and encouraging children to move and play, all make a big difference in their physical and psychological health."

He explained: "Finally, staying up late remains one of the habits whose effects I notice the most after every vacation. It does not only affect sleep, but also affects mood, concentration, activity, and even readiness to return to school. Therefore, I advise families to maintain some degree of daily routine even during vacation times"

He said: "Vacation is an opportunity to have fun and make good memories, but it is also an opportunity to instill healthy habits that will last long. I wish you and your children a safe holiday, full of health and happiness"

The dangers of staying up late for long periods of time

The educational expert in the field of childhood, Dr. Abdullah Al-Hussein, explained that the reason for the spread of the problem of staying up late, especially during the summer vacation, is due to the absence of a law within the family that all its members adhere to, including not setting a time for early sleep, for light, eating heavy meals late, family gatherings at night, and sitting on electronic devices for long hours that often reach the point of electronic addiction, in addition to the absence of a daily routine, especially with the end of school, which cancels the time to wake up. Forced, and this is what causes the body to unleash its biological clock, “the body’s internal clock,” to delay it automatically.

He stressed that the use of electronic devices has a major role in the continuation of the problem of staying up for long hours, especially playing games at night, which exposes the eyes to blue light. This light deceives the brain and prevents the secretion of the sleep hormone.

The educational expert pointed out that every family, represented by the parents, must develop practical solutions that limit the problem of staying up for long hours, including:
Setting a fixed time to wake up daily, reducing screen viewing time two hours before sleep, preparing a sleeping environment away from screens to prevent blue light from phones and the brain. From the secretion of the sleep hormone “melatonin”, avoiding heavy meals and drinks that contain caffeine before bed, morning activities by occupying the children’s time in the morning with their favorite activities and hobbies that are characterized by moving the mind and body so that the child feels energetic, the organized schedule by setting a daily schedule that includes specific times for food, sports, and visits, to feel stable.

The importance of various cultural and sports activities

The family and educational advisor Adnan Al-Dariwish said, with every summer vacation there is a fall. Parents are in great and chronic confusion about how to organize a day for their sons and daughters so that it becomes a productive and enjoyable day at the same time, after the hardship of a long school year, and the matter becomes more difficult the more their children are in the stage of character building and adolescence. Most of them are exposed to external influences from external friends and from the virtual reality in which they immerse themselves for hours on end, which puts them in an annoying voluntary isolation.
Here the vacation may become a real difficulty, or a golden opportunity, and therefore the successful educator must make the decision to invest the vacation, in building positive relationships with his family, directing them to what benefits them physically and behaviorally, expanding their awareness, developing their healthy relationships with society, spending enjoyable times with them, and not preventing them from participating in cultural, recreational, educational, or sports clubs, and when going out with them on an outing, trip, visit, or travel, to play some games, competitions, and activities.

Child Health Physical, psychological and cognitive

The educational consultant and educational psychologist Khaled Muhammad Al-Turki said: "Staying up late is one of the most common educational problems among children during vacations, as the daily routine is disrupted due to the lack of commitment to school hours. Many children tend to delay the time for sleeping and waking up, and although vacation is an opportunity for entertainment, continuing to stay up late has a negative impact on the child’s physical, psychological, and cognitive health.".

He explained that one of the most prominent reasons for the spread of staying up late is the excessive use of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, in addition to preoccupation with social media platforms and electronic games that capture children’s attention for long hours, especially in the evening.
A systematic scientific review published in 2021, which included “49” studies, indicates that there is a clear link between the use of electronic media and short sleep duration, delayed sleep time, and poor sleep quality in children and adolescents, with an increasing impact on The age group of “6-15” years. A systematic review and analysis published in 2021 showed that programs aimed at reducing screen time contribute to improving the duration and quality of sleep in children, which confirms that legalizing the use of electronic devices is one of the most effective interventions.

Tips to reduce staying up late

To reduce staying up late, the family should set fixed bedtimes even during vacations, stop using electronic devices at least an hour before bed, and encourage children to practice sports activities. Reading and social games, while promoting good role models from parents in regulating the use of digital devices.
Cooperation among family members also contributes to spreading awareness of the importance of adequate sleep, because of its direct impact on healthy growth, concentration, skill development, and the mental health of children.

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