Looking ahead to the transition to summer
Transitions can be difficult for any child, but they may be even more difficult for a child who is grieving. There are often a lot of transitions that happen towards the end of the school year and as summer starts. It is often a happy time in normal circumstances but you may need to be gentle with yourself and your child as you navigate these changes.
Consider the following tips to make transitions easier with your child:
- Communicate, communicate, communicate! There is usually an abundance of activities as the school year winds down. Give your child a heads-up about what the days ahead look like so they know what to expect. Tip: You may want to not provide every single detail, however, in case a plan ends up changing. Surprises can be difficult to deal with.
- Get your reading on. If your child is going to try out something new over the summer, consider reading some books about what they will be doing to facilitate discussion and provide some familiarity beforehand. For example, if your child is heading to summer camp for the first time, try finding some books at your local library about characters who go to summer camp, and read them with your child, engaging in discussion.
- Make it fun! If transitions make everyone grumpy, try to add some lightheartedness to the moment. Put on a song that everyone loves, tell a silly joke, or make a goofy face. Silliness can have a way of turning things around! But if you sense that everyone needs a moment to just breathe and have some quiet, that is okay, too. Learning how to read the room is a great skill to develop!
And when all else fails, know that you are not alone. Transitions are hard for just about everyone, and we are all doing the best that we can!