When school ends and summer begins, this is often a time of joy, adventure, and recuperation for students of all ages. Sometimes, as adults, we may fail to realize that summer may also involve hard transitions and behaviors in children and adolescents. At school, students are taken care of typically from 8:30-3:30, have lunch provided, and their needs met. When school is out, this might bring around uncertainty for some children. I have worked with children who don’t know when their next meal or snack will be, whether they will be able to safely go outside and enjoy the weather, and/or if they will have any supervision due to parents’ work schedules. So, while summer is an exciting time for some students, it can be an uncertain time of the year for others, and this may increase behaviors seen at home.
As a school-based therapist, I am lucky to work with children in an environment where they spend most of their week: school. Being at the school allows me to provide support during the school days. Not only do I get to see my students for therapy sessions once a week, but if needed I am able to provide check-ins throughout the week and help students regulate themselves when they become dysregulated. Being out of school, without the supports in place that they may have at school, children and adolescents might become dysregulated. To prepare students for the transition from school to home for the summer, we discussed circles of control and what they can control versus what they cannot control. When they can identify these, it can aid in anxiety management and give the child or adolescent some form of control within their life among constant changes or shifts.
I know this summer might come with challenges for families, but I urge you to look beyond your child(ren)’s behavior. Try to notice the precursors to their behavior, such as, rigidity, minor defiance, trouble sharing, lower distress tolerance, difficulty sleeping or waking up, etc. When you notice minor shifts in their behavior, this is a perfect time to try and intervene before an explosion occurs. Some tools you may want to try:
- Utilize a consistent routine, even just with mealtimes
- Use a visual schedule that outlines the expectations for the day or even the week, so your child(ren) have some form of control
- Have a designated “calm down” area where your child(ren) can go and regulate themselves. In this area, a blanket, squishy, and/or fidgets could be useful
- Help your child(ren) identify the emotions they may or may not be feeling and try to meet them with an empathetic response. You could do this by reading books or playing one of my favorite games, Emotions UNO!
Some suggested books. Consider checking your local library before purchasing. These links support local booksellers.
- A Little Spot of Feelings by Diane Alber
- I am Okay to Feel by Karamo Brown
- The Color Monster by Anna Llenas