Summer can be filled with a lot of joy, excitement and fun! But the transition from a rigid school routine to a flexible summer may be met with some resistance.
Expect kids to express and experience:
- Stress
- Anxiety towards a new routine
- Grief of ending the school year
- BIG feelings
Grown Ups can ease this transition by:
- Reflecting feelings: Give children the name for their feeling. They might not have the words for this yet. This might look like:
- You’re really missing your teacher and friends at school today. Its hard to shift into summer mode.
- Going to the pool was so fun at first, but now it feels overwhelming!
- Sticking with a routine. Using a visual calendar can help, especially when schedules change between camps and vacations.
- Set limits on behaviors. Accept the feeling, and target an alternative behavior.
- “I know you’re feeling angry that sister is playing with your toys, but siblings are not for hurting. You can punch your pillow instead.”