Unleashing Potential: How Summer Vacation Planning Benefits Your Student Inside and Outside the Classroom!
Coming in hot with a summer tip to help your student prepare for the upcoming academic year away at college.
Use your summer vacation planning to help your student learn valuable skills that will benefit them in and out of the classroom!
Vacation planning brings a golden opportunity for your college student to develop essential executive functioning skills. While planning a vacation might seem like a fun and relaxing task, it secretly holds the key to equipping your student with valuable life skills. Bonus: Your kiddo may not even realize you’re “teaching” and they’re “learning”.
Let’s explore the six crucial executive functioning skills that your student can acquire through the process of planning a summer vacation.
6 Executive Functioning Skills Your Student Can Learn From Planning a Vacation
1. Planning and Organization: Pulling it All Together
From creating an itinerary and booking flights and accommodations to creating a comprehensive packing list, vacation planning demands high-level organization and planning skills.
Little do they know planning and organizing will be the backbone of their academic journey. These skills will carry over to your student’s college life, helping them effectively schedule classes, handle assignments, and coordinate various responsibilities on campus.
2. Time Management: Mastering the Clock
Planning a family vacation demands excellent time management. Efficiently allocating time to research destinations, compare prices, and secure reservations is a must for a smooth vacation experience. Learning how to master time management will help your student easily tackle college deadlines, class assignments, stay focused, and create a healthy work-life balance.
3. Prioritization: Putting First Things First
As your student curates the vacation itinerary by identifying your family’s must-see attractions and activities, they learn the valuable skill of prioritization. In the academic setting, prioritization becomes a fundamental skill for your student to manage their time effectively.
With a multitude of tasks, including course selection, study sessions, and extracurricular commitments, your college student will rely on prioritization to stay organized and focused. By learning how to put first things first, your college student will be better equipped to handle the demands of college life, make the most of their time, and achieve their academic and personal goals.
4. Problem-Solving: Calm Amidst Chaos
No vacation goes entirely according to plan, and unforeseen circumstances may arise. Flight delays, last-minute changes, and unexpected hurdles – vacation planning is a breeding ground for problem-solving. When faced with unexpected challenges during vacation planning, your student must practice making quick decisions and finding alternative solutions.
This flexibility, adaptability, and resilience will serve them well on campus, where they’ll encounter various academic pressures and social challenges.
5. Decision Making: Weighing the Options
The vacation planning process, which involves selecting accommodations, transportation, and activities, offers an ideal opportunity for your student to develop the art of making informed choices. This exercise in decision-making fosters critical thinking and enhances your student’s ability to make well-considered choices.
Learning to weigh the pros and cons and evaluate potential outcomes carefully is a key skill that will significantly benefit them as they navigate choices regarding their academic journey and future career path.
6. Flexibility: Expect the Unexpected
Embracing spontaneity during a vacation can pave the way for thrilling adventures and delightful surprises. However, being adaptable offers your student much more than just a memorable experience. It enables them to embody a spirit of curiosity, a willingness to explore new horizons, and an eagerness to embrace diverse perspectives.
By nurturing flexibility, your student becomes better equipped to navigate the twists and turns of college life with grace and confidence. College years are a transformative period for your student, providing opportunities for self-exploration and personal development. Learning how to be adaptable and flexible enhances your student’s resilience and fosters a mindset of continuous learning and self-improvement.
Empowering Your Student
As you plan your summer vacation (or any vacation!), consider empowering your college student to take the reins. Beyond the excitement of a well-deserved getaway, your student will embark on a journey of personal growth and skill development that will serve them well both in and out of the classroom. From mastering organization and time management to honing decision-making and flexibility, these essential executive functioning skills will shape their academic journey, career path, and overall success in life. By entrusting your child with this responsibility, you provide them with a unique chance to learn, lead, and demonstrate their capabilities.
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Could your student plan your family’s summer vacation from start to finish? Are you willing to hand over the planning process to them?
