School's Out... Now What?
The end of the school year can be bittersweet. It’s the start of summer vacation where kids don’t have to be in a classroom for several weeks, their workload has decreased, they can sleep in and stay up late. It’s awesome! However, after having about 9 months of a routine, summer can be stressful for kids. Summer also usually means family vacations, and I encourage you to check out my recent blog post from last week on how to prepare your child for vacation. Below are some tips for preparing your child for the transition OUT of school and INTO summer.
Teachers and School.
Grab a yearbook for signing. Even if your child doesn’t want a yearbook, ask again. Many students feel left out if they don’t have a yearbook to pass around or if they don’t have something tangible to remember that year.
For younger kids that might not get yearbooks, create your own! About a decade ago when I was working in a school, an awesome idea had shown up on a popular social media site. Parents were getting books (Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss was a very common one) and asking the teachers and school staff to write something in the book. The idea was that the child would get the book upon their high school graduation. If you don’t want to wait that long, get a new book each year, or have your child see the entry at the end of each year before you tuck it away for safekeeping!
For younger kids who can grow attached to their teachers, the end of the year can be especially difficult. Have your child make their teacher an end-of-the-year gift to present to their teacher. It’s that thought that counts and teachers will love a hand-crafted gift!
If the teacher is comfortable with it, ask for a photo with your child and their teacher.
For children switching schools, either to different districts or moving up from elementary to middle school, the thought of also leaving the school itself could be difficult. Ask about doing a final work through, or remind your child that you can come back and visit teachers and the school itself. Many schools have playgrounds on them that families are allowed to utilize after school hours, hit the playground there in the summer!
If your student is aware of their teacher prior to the last day of school, see if they can meet them or check out their classroom. Many districts wait until the end of the summer to provide this information, but you can also ask for a meet-and-greet or school tour at that time as well.
Create a memory box for each year! This year I am imagining lots of COVID-19 masks in that memory box, but allow your child to put some items in the box, decorate the outside, and store it for a later date.
Plan Ahead.
Are there camps or activities that your child would like to do and you’re able to afford them? Sign them up!
Have a vacation planned? Remind your child what you are doing.
Get contact information from peers. This is so much easier now with technology, but make sure your child has their peer’s contact information for get-togethers over the summer.
If a family member or sitter will be watching your child while you work, introduce them to the sitter ahead of time.
Set screen limits. These went out the window for many families when virtual learning took over. However, set screen time and limits for your child throughout the day. Screen time can also be a great tool for reinforcement and rewarding appropriate behaviors throughout the day.
For schools that require summer work, give your child some time to rest after the last day, but plan on when the work will get done. Some families like to get it all done at once, some a little throughout the summer. See what works best for your child and schedule.
Sleep.
As much as possible, keep to a routine sleep schedule. I’m not asking for your child to continue getting up at 6 am every day. However, having a “summer” sleep schedule will be helpful and a sleep schedule in general will works wonders when the new school year is upon the family.
Blackout curtains and darkness. This is more for the younger kids who have an earlier bedtime. The days are longer in the summer and bedtime might be difficult when the sun is still shining at 8 pm. Invest in some blackout curtains to help your child get to sleep faster at night.
Summer is a great time and many people look forward to it. However, change can be scary and after the school year students were presented with this year, it’s yet ANOTHER change for them. For students who might have only gone back to in-person learning after Spring Break or in May, the end of the year might be even more difficult as they just started getting used to being in school. For students who stayed home for remote learning all year, the change might not be as drastic. Set your child up for the possibility to have an awesome end-of-the-year and great kick-off to summer vacation!