The week's best parenting advice: December 8, 2020

The pros and cons of a gap year, why rapid COVID tests might not work in kids, and more

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(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock)

1. Is a gap year a good idea?

While there's light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, it's likely that coronavirus will continue to affect our lives well into the warmer months of 2021. Should high school seniors postpone their college plans or take a gap year until a more "normal" college experience is possible? It's complicated, says The Wall Street Journal: "At some schools, students who take time off may risk losing the chance to enroll whenever they like, and could have to resubmit financial aid applications the following academic year." But experts say some time off can be valuable if done with planning and intention. Teens could use the time to volunteer, gain work experience, or try micro-internships, which are shorter than traditional semester-long commitments. A year off "could give [teens] clarity, in terms of what their future can and should be," career coach Jill Tipograph tells the Journal. "Maybe they wouldn't have learned this until a few years out of college."

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.