Surviving the School to Summer Shift

School’s out and summer is officially in! As exciting as the freedom of summer may seem, for many families, the transition to summer can be tough. Changing routines and long summer days can be a challenge for kids and adults alike. Some children just prefer the more predictable school year schedule, while parents may struggle with filling long days without school or other child care options. For teens and older children, the idea of summer (freedom, friends, and fun all around) may be a lot more exciting than the reality (boredom, friendship struggles, and parental restrictions). Things can be especially difficult for families going through other transitions, such as a divorce, or facing a new custody schedule. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to ease the change from school year to summer vacation. 

1. Maintain a routine or daily schedule 

The unstructured days of summer can be a struggle for many kids. Having a regular daily routine can ease anxiety and give children a sense of predictability, and may help prevent behavioral issues and tantrums when it’s time to turn off the TV and get ready for bed. Talk through the schedule with them and then write it out and hang it on the wall where your child(ren) can easily see it. If your child’s time will be split between two homes, make a note of where they’ll be each day and hang a schedule at each house. Make sure to build in some down time every day so they don’t feel over-scheduled. After all, a little boredom isn’t always a bad thing! 

2. Communicate with your kids 

It may sound obvious, but one of the best ways to smooth the transition between the school year and summer vacation is to communicate clearly with your kids. It’s easy to just schedule everything on behalf of your child(ren) based on what you know they enjoy, but as any parent knows, their interests change quickly, and kids have “off” days too when they don’t feel like doing anything. Give them choices and ask them what they want to do. Doing so ensures they feel included and heard, and can make it a little easier when they have to do things they don’t want to do. Clear communication around behavioral expectations, consequences, and responsibilities can also help eliminate confusion and prevent arguments. 

3. Explore educational opportunities to combat learning loss

One of the most challenging things about summer, and about transitioning back to school when summer vacation is over, is “learning loss,” where kids lose some of their reading and math skills over the summer. The best way to combat this is to keep your child(ren)’s brain active with creative activities and educational opportunities. 

• In D.C., sign up for Discover Summer 2022, a summerlong “celebration of reading and learning” for tons of fun educational activities and the chance to win fun prizes!
• In D.C., sign up for Discover Summer 2022, a summerlong “celebration of reading and learning” for tons of fun educational activities and the chance to win fun prizes!
• Keep your child(ren) learning and help save the Chesapeake Bay with Montgomery County Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Challenge for all ages!
• For older kids, check out Montgomery County’s Youth Leadership opportunities
• This list of 25 Activities to Keep Kids’ Brains Active in Summer
  has a wealth of great suggestions for educational activities

4. Give your kids (and yourself) things to look forward to 

Summer is a great opportunity to spend time and bond with your kids, and to make happy family memories! Consider making a summer bucket list or just planning out fun things to do throughout the summer. Giving yourself and your kids things to look forward to can help combat boredom and frustration on long summer days. For inspiration, check out ZFL’s list of seven family-friendly things to do in the DMV this season, including outdoor movies and music, summer festivals, nights at the museum, and more. 

5. Be flexible and have fun!

As important as it is to make plans in advance, develop a routine schedule, and stick to it, flexibility is truly the key to a stress-free summer. If you or your kids aren’t feeling whatever’s on the schedule one day, don’t be afraid to mix it up and take a day off or do something spontaneous! If you were planning something outdoors and the weather’s crummy, swap your days for an inside activity or some more down time. 

Above all, summer is a great time for family bonding and to soak up some extra time with your kiddos. Meltdowns, tantrums, and arguments are inevitable, but with some planning and preparation, you can minimize the amount of time you (and your children) spend stressing and maximize your summer fun! Wishing you and your family a memorable, stress-free summer!