Vacations, bright colors, sand, sun, and memories that carry us through the rest of the year.
For many of us, it is also a chance to reunite with our family and friends that we haven't seen in months.
If we step away from this beach perfect image and take a look at summer from the child's perspective, you might see a different picture. I am not only talking only about young children here. All children can be subject to summer anxiety for different reasons.
Summer is a sudden change in just about every way. It is part of the magic for grownups. Children feel safer with routines, though. If you take away what is familiar to them, they will naturally feel insecure about the situation until they get used to the new norm.
The thing is, summer has two big disruptions. First is to leave what they know. The other is to return to what they used to know, only they are different, even if it has only been a couple of weeks.
Going on vacation changes children's surroundings, beds, and for those who are particularly sensitive to scents and other senses, also the smells are textures surrounding them are different.
School aged children worry about the lack of structure in their day, not seeing their friends, and not knowing what to do with their days during the summer.
Summer is a wonderful time for us to take a break and reunite with family.
🌱 Talk to your child about the changes before you leave for the summer.
🌱 Give children a chance to make their vacation space homey and comfortable.
🌱 Reassure them that vacation time is temporary and that they will return to their home and comfort zone soon.
🌱 Give them plenty of reasons to be excited about the summer vacation. Things to look forward to.
🌱 Be prepared for extra attitude, sleep interruptions, and other changes.
Also:
🌱 Be prepared that when you come back from your break, your child may have different needs. A few weeks could be the difference between one phase and another.
Preparing your child will not only minimize the disruption for your child, it will also give you a chance to enjoy your much needed break a lot more. Understanding your child's needs and attending to them is not so bad either.
Have a happy summer full of memories and fun stories!