It’s important - because this break can be a both a breath of fresh air and a reset that your student desperately needs before finals hit full speed.

Imagine this: your student walks through the door, backpack slung over one shoulder, eyes a little weary. They’ve already clocked too many all-nighters, skipped too many meals or went too long without chatting about where they stand. That’s where the villain steps in - the idea that “everything’s fine” even when stress is building, the voice that says “I’ll catch up later,” the myth that “resting is wasted time.”

I’m here to help you (the parent) and your student navigate the rest, the talk, the regroup, and the launch into the final sprint. Because that’s what makes this break more than just turkey and football -it becomes smart, strategic, and relational.

A Personal Story

I'm sharing this with permission from a favorite parents:

When my daughter came home from her first semester of college, I saw the tell-tale signs: she made fewer calls, she didn’t come out to dinner as often, and her “just fine” smile wasn’t fooling anyone. I thought, “We’ll just let her rest.” But something told me rest alone wasn’t enough. We had one frank conversation - over a mug of cocoa - that asked: “Where are you with your study skills, your energy levels, your focus for the rest of the semester?” That conversation didn’t mean hammering her with guilt. It meant offering space, support and a little tough love. And you know what? She needed to know that I cared and that I had her back.

So let’s set the table… literally and figuratively.

1. Welcome Home—Gently

Bold statement: “Coming home doesn’t mean homework stops—it means refueling begins.”
Have a plan:

• Create a “landing zone” in the house where your student feels welcomed but not trapped. Maybe their old room has something fun waiting.

• Offer two options: a relaxed night in with favorite family dinner, or a "quiet check-in" evening where the student opens up about how things are going (without judgment).

• Ask: “What’s one win this semester? What’s one thing you regret or need to catch up on?” Simple questions, big impact.

2. Rest Without Regret

Many students carry invisible baggage—unfinished papers, skipped study sessions, anxiety that builds like a storm cloud. If we ignore it, it festers. The villain? Procrastination masked as break-time.

• Encourage your student to take 48-72 hours of real rest: no heavy studying, no all-nighters writing papers. But then shift into a rhythm: 30 minutes of light catch-up (emails, syllabus check) every day for the remainder of the break.

• Create a “pause and plan” session: after dinner one evening, sit together for 20 minutes and sketch the rest-of‐semester timeline. Include major exams, papers, study blocks.

3. Honest Conversation—No Drama, No Denial

The biggest gift you can give: your attention and your willingness to ask the tough questions.
Here's why:  Silence is the real trap, because not talking means the drift continues.

• Ask open-ended questions: “If you could do one thing differently next semester, what would it be?”

• Listen more than you speak. Sometimes students just need someone to reflect back what they’re already feeling.

• Validations: “It’s okay you didn’t finish that project—what matters is what we do next.” That’s real support, not sugar-coating.

4. Get Back into the Rhythm

Schedules don’t have to be rigid—they just need direction. The villain here? The chaotic “I’ll get to it when I’m back on campus” mindset.

• Create a 3-part rhythm for the last stretch of break: Reflect → Plan → Launch.

  • Reflect: What worked/what didn’t this semester.

  • Plan: Build an action list for finals  (3 key tasks each).

  • Launch: Set a start-date for a daily study rhythm (50 minutes study, 10 minute break, repeat) and a weekly check-in (brief chat with you or their coach).

• Encourage your student to track progress: it could be a simple checkbox list, sticky notes on a board, or a shared Google Sheet—whatever feels real.

5. Pep Talk to Carry Forward

Your student is a hero—and they need the reminder that they’ve got this.
Remember:  The semester isn’t defined by the start or the last sprint—it’s defined by the steady footsteps in between.

• Remind them that college success isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency.

• Share your own “messy second semester” story: how I got D’s, then learned study skills, then improved—not because I suddenly became perfect, but because I changed the system.

• Encourage them: “You’re returning stronger than you think. Let’s use this break as the launchpad—not a brief pause.”

Final Thought

The break is more than downtime—it’s your student’s moment to press reset. A moment to land in your space, rest, talk, and then rise back into gear. So welcome them, listen to them, help them reflect - and then hand them the tools (a simple rhythm, an honest conversation, a plan) to finish strong.

Let’s turn this Thanksgiving into the boost that carries them confident, calm and ready into the final weeks of the semester. 🍂