One universal truth is that friendship has the potential to make life sweeter. And it takes a village to raise your child. Sopmetimes, this support system comes virtually–in the form of social media and online support.

What I want to dig into today is how does the need for friendship work in your modern—quite busy—village, and what impact—good or bad—does social media have on friendship goals for both you and for your kids.

Summer slide, the learning loss that happens during the months school is out, is real–but the solution is summer fun, not summer school.

There are plenty of engaging, structured activities a kid can enjoy over the summer but also remember to leave children plenty of free time, too. Relax and let loose–just remember to be safe.

Ah, summer! How we love you for carefree days and absence of rigid schedules that come with the school year. As we turn off alarm clocks, kids breathe a sigh of relief about the reprieve from nightly homework, and we look forward to time together at home and during summer vacations, it’s the perfect time to seize opportunities to have meaningful conversations to continue learning.

In some states, kids are already out of school and starting summer activities. In other states, the countdown is on! Summer break! Swimming pools, camps, vacations and NO SCHOOL! But for parents, summer break can be a real stressor: work doesn’t take a summer break, and kids and tweens need a carefully planned calendar of events. What to do?

Summer’s pleasure is also its danger. While summer offers a chance to slow the sometimes too-hectic pace of the school year, it also brings the sort of idleness that gets kids into trouble.

With no classes, kids are more likely to sit around, staring at screens and snacking. Besides contributing to the learning loss teachers call the “summer slide,” these habits are unhealthy.

Increased social media use can magnify worries such cyber bullying, fear of missing out, and poor self-esteem. When older kids do get out of the house, they are more likely to be unsupervised and susceptible to negative peer pressure to make risky choices.

It does not have to be this way. Summer can be an opportunity to engage and grow without over-scheduling or pricey camps.

So, how can a family relax without falling apart over the summer?