When School’s Out: How to Support Teenagers During the Holidays
The school holidays often arrive with a sense of collective exhale—less structure, fewer deadlines, and a break from academic pressure. But for many teenagers, this unstructured time can also bring challenges: emotional dysregulation, loneliness, boredom, or even a resurfacing of mental health concerns.
Adolescence is already a period of immense change, and the school holidays can amplify both the positive and the difficult aspects of this developmental stage. Understanding how to support teenagers during these breaks can make a meaningful difference in their well-being.
Why Holidays Can Be Difficult for Teens
While the freedom of holidays may sound ideal, many teens struggle without the daily routine that school provides. Some common challenges include:
Loss of structure and predictability, which can lead to emotional dysregulation
Social isolation, particularly if friendships are school-based or strained
Increased screen time and disrupted sleep, affecting mood and energy
Family conflict, especially in homes under stress
Unprocessed academic anxiety, which may simmer beneath the surface during the break
Even teens who appear disengaged from school may rely on its structure as a stabilising force. When that disappears, underlying anxiety, depression, or self-esteem issues can come to the forefront.
Therapeutic Themes That Arise in Holiday Sessions
In clinical settings, therapists often see familiar themes re-emerge during holiday periods:
A sense of disconnection or aimlessness
Increased family tensions from being in closer quarters
Resurfacing of identity issues without the familiar roles and routines of school
Questions about motivation and meaning, especially for older teens
Regressions in emotional regulation or self-care habits
This period can also be an opportunity. With less academic pressure, teens may be more open to reflection, self-awareness, and engaging in therapeutic work.
How Parents Can Support Teens During the Holidays
Support doesn’t have to mean a packed schedule or constant supervision. Rather, it’s about creating a balance between freedom and structure, connection and autonomy, and rest and engagement.
Here are several ways parents, caregivers, and therapists can help:
1. Co-Create a Flexible Routine
Encourage teens to help build their own structure for the day or week. This might include wake-up times, movement, meals, creative time, rest, and social activities. Routines don’t have to be rigid—they just offer a sense of rhythm.
2. Normalise Rest and Boredom
Teens may need time to decompress. That said, boredom can sometimes trigger restlessness or negative self-talk. Helping them sit with boredom without feeling the need to fill it with screens or distractions can build emotional resilience.
3. Encourage Meaningful Activities
Support teens in exploring hobbies, volunteering, or creative pursuits—anything that fosters a sense of purpose. Small, achievable goals during holidays can help combat feelings of stagnation or low mood.
4. Support Healthy Social Connections
Teenagers need peers, even if they don’t always show it. Encourage (but don’t force) social interaction. If in-person time isn’t possible, consider digital alternatives with boundaries and discussion around online wellbeing.
5. Open Space for Conversation
Holidays are a good time to check in emotionally. Create non-pressured moments where conversations about feelings, struggles, or hopes can emerge naturally—often while walking, driving, or doing something together.
6. Protect Mental Health
If your teen is already in therapy, try to maintain consistent sessions over the holiday. If not, and you notice ongoing emotional struggles, this may be a good window to seek support before school stress returns.
For Therapists: Using the Holiday Space Intentionally
As psychotherapists, we can use school holidays to deepen therapeutic work. With fewer time constraints, teens may be more open to insight-building, creative interventions, or working on goals that don’t revolve around academic performance. It's also an opportunity to engage in psychoeducation about rest, identity, and transitions—core themes during adolescence.
Final Thoughts
School holidays are a paradox for many teenagers—both a break and a challenge. By staying present, attuned, and gently structured, adults can help teens move through these in-between times with a greater sense of self-awareness and stability.
The key is balance: space to breathe, yet enough containment to feel anchored. When teens feel seen and supported during the unstructured times, they’re often more resilient in the face of what's ahead.
