Keep Your Teen Motivated over Christmas Break

We all want to be sat back on the sofa with a tin of sweets watching Christmas films. This year, we especially want to catch a break with friends and family, and spend quality time with those we love. For your teenager, they might be weighing up the balance: do they still need to spend time studying?

The answer will be dependent on what your teenager’s school provides and dictated by the work given over the Christmas break… but the likelihood is that your teenager will have prelims ahead, as well as coursework. With potential missed learning, and a change to the way National 5s will be assessed in 2021, your teenager- like any normal academic year- will have stuff to do.

So to help your teen stay on track- whilst also taking a much-needed breather- here are some top tips to keep your youngster motivated:

1. Set some sensible goals

There’s little point in your teenager writing a ridiculously long list of things to do, then finding they spend the holidays barely achieving any of it. Instead, perhaps setting 2-3 main goals is a way of balancing the time that they do have. Perhaps one goal could be to complete 5 lessons on My Digital Lesson? Another goal could be to add an extra 500 words to a piece of coursework.

2. Get the work out of the way first

It’s often better for your teenager’s mind-set and daily routine that they just get the work out of the way first. Rather than bingeing Netflix and then trying to muster up some energy, it’ll be better if your teenager gets work done first- then rewards themselves later! The great thing about My Digital Lesson is that our lessons are chunked- so your teen can choose a manageable lesson each time they log on.

3. Drop the Distractions

If your teenager really wants to make effective use of their study time (and leisure time!) then it’s best they drop the distractions: stay away from the devices; hide from the TV and sly away from those excitable siblings… Motivation is best conjured when pupils are truly focused on one thing.

Your teen will likely get more productive work done if they really have the chance to concentrate for a couple of hours. Then they can spend the rest of the day relaxing, or enjoying whatever festivities the Christmas holidays will bring this year.

Typically, the school break is used for intensive exam revision. For those sitting National 5s, there will still be prelims to sit in the next couple of months, and the same applies for Highers pupils. Your teen’s going to have to keep up on top of their studies, and our online provision is the perfect solution.

To keep your teen motivated over the Christmas hols, strike a balance- and hopefully, you’ll find your teen has both a fruitful and festive time!