Teachers

Back to school is a season full of energy, excitement, and change. It can also be a little nerve racking—for parents, kids AND educators too! We all want to have the best experiences and surround ourselves with the people who will support as us as we work towards our goals.

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.

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?

Spring Break is a distant, happy memory and we are now in the home stretch of the school year.  Yet there are still important things to learn, tests to take, and field trips to experience. It may be tempting to put ourselves on cruise control and start counting down the days until summer break, but this is a great time to start conversations with students about preparing for their time away from school.

Simone Biles helps us wrap up our month of #Responsibility