Latest Weather Blog
Friday's Health Report: How to ensure your child is not overwhelmed by school and extracurriculars
Related Story
BATON ROUGE — With school, homework and extracurricular activities, a child's day can fill up fast.
That is why it is important for parents to watch for signs that their children may be getting overwhelmed.
"If you see any changes in sleeping, eating, mood or behavior, that may indicate that it's too busy. I think also looking at, is the child able to complete the tasks that need to be completed? So, are they getting homework done? Are they getting enough sleep? Do you see change in grades – those would be some things to keep an eye out for," Pediatric Psychologist Dr. Kate Eshleman said.
If you notice these changes, experts recommend having a conversation with your child to get a better understanding of what is going on. It can help you figure out if schedule adjustments are needed.
Some stress can be a good thing, but too much can harm a child's mental and physical health. You still want to keep time for some extracurriculars because of the benefits they offer.
"It gives them an outlet outside, again, of the things that they have to do, it creates opportunities for peer interactions and navigating those social relationships, it helps kids have some structure to their day and need to kind of figure out how to work through all these different demands on their time," Dr. Eshleman said.
Before committing to any activity, doctors say parents should consider how it will fit into the family's overall schedule.
News
