The end of the school year is approaching! This can be an exciting time for some who are anticipating the break, and a stressful time for others who are trying to figure out what to do with their children and themselves during that time. The summer break does provide freedom for vacation and relaxation, but for many we serve it means that the distraction and structure the school routine provided is no longer available to help us ignore the giant hole created when the person we are missing left us.
This is a good time to think about the upcoming summer and start to plan for those open spaces of time where you or your children have nothing to distract you. While those times are important to help ourselves heal in our grief, if we have too much time alone or time unoccupied, then we can fall into the hole of depression or anxiety. Having a balance is important.
So be proactive. Get out the calendar and look for times you can save, both for downtime to let you and your family process your grief (even to meet up with friends or family to support each other through this time) but also for fun. Think about activities that make memories, that include smiles and laughter, that are the typical things your children look forward to. It’s okay to still have fun even when we’re grieving, and it’s important that kids know that, too. Invite your kids into the planning as well! Taking some time this month before the end of the school year for planning can set your family up for whatever your version of success looks like for the summer.