END OF THE SCHOOLYEAR BLUES

Written by: Dr. Cindy Bunin Nurik

TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD TO EASE INTO THE SUMMER TRANSITION

By Dr. Cindy Bunin Nurik aka “Dr. Buttinsky”

Once again, the summer is almost upon us, and it is time for school to end. Whether your child is in preschool, or elementary school, there will be a transition that your child will experience that may cause some issues. Young children have mixed emotions about the summer break and may exhibit some unusual behaviors.

I actually never realized this until my own daaughter, who is now 19 expressed some feelings at the end of Kindergarten. That experience opened my eyes to an issue that I call “The End Of The School Year Blues”! When my child was finishing Kindergarten, and I was tucking her in to sleep, she looked at me and said, “Mommy, will I ever go back to school?” She surprised me somewhat, because she really had been counting down the days until school ended, and she was looking forward to the summer. I never had a clue she was feeling badly about the end of her year. So we talked about it until her feelings were heard and validated.

The end of the school year may be a very confusing time for kids. After all, there are many changes about to take place in their lives, and we know how much children need and love a routine. This is a list of valid reasons that could cause of some issues to arise:

Change in daily routine
Loss of structure
Saying good bye to friends
Change of familiar surroundings
Leaving their teacher, who for a year has not only been their mentor, but also a primary caregiver.

These losses can take a toll on all children's emotions, not only on young ones. Not every child is expressive about his or her feelings, so as parents we need to be aware of some signs that our children may be having trouble with the transition:

10 Warning Signs

Anger - Might express aggressive behavior; yelling, hitting, etc.
Frustration - Has less patience for tasks
Sadness - Cries more often or over unimportant things
Confusion - Appears "not with it," not paying attention
Temper Tantrums - Exhibits poor behavior
Irritability - Appears more irritable than usual
Isolation - Plays alone, stares at T.V. or video games
Regression - Acts like a baby
Distraction - Which can cause little one to get hurt more often from scrapes and falls
Somatic Ailments - Child will complain of stomach aches and headaches.

If your children exhibit any of signs of emotional distress, first of all, don't worry. With a little T.L.C., you can help them through it! Here are some things you can do to help them ease the transition:

TOP 10 TIPS

Talk to your child and ease into the subject. For example: "When I was young and in school, even though I liked summer vacation, I felt sad when school was over because I missed my friends."
Validate their feelings when they express them.
If your child can write, have her write a note to his or her teacher. This can help with closure. If your child can’t write have her draw a picture instead.
Make sure you have a picture of the teacher and classmates so your child can have it to refer to when needed.
Let your child know that they will see friends and teacher when school starts next year.
Have your child draw a picture to give to the teacher as a gift.
Have an end of the year party. This will assist in giving closure.
Plan a reunion during the summer with classmates.
Keep your child's routine as similar as possible. Same bedtime, mealtime, etc.
Be sure your child has a calendar to keep him or her aware of the days and months. After all, this is how they start school days.

Knowing what may be lurking in the hearts and minds of our children will enable us to be better prepared to help them through another threshold of childhood. Insight is always better than hindsight. Enjoy your summer!