"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
Hello friends! Summer is here! The sun is hot, the air is sticky, the days are long, but the hours still short. Summer is the season of fun. Everywhere we turn, children are playing on bikes, in sprinklers, with sandy toes and mosquito-covered legs and arms. Birds sing from dusk to dawn—bees and butterflies flitter by, flower to flower, in gardens that have sprung up overnight. Teens are clustered haphazardly around town in groups of 3s and 5s, and 7s with slurpees and sunburns.
But for many, summer can be a season of stress as routines are interrupted and parents feel pressured to entertain children all summer long. The season of sunburns can easily become the season of burnout. True North wants to remind you to prioritize your mental health this summer with these summer tips:
It's GOOD for kids to be bored! Boredom gives kids a great opportunity to develop new skills, like creativity, problem-solving, and self-regulation.
Set realistic goals this summer. It can be tempting to make a long bucket list of summer activities, but this can also lead to feelings of stress, frustration, and guilt. Instead, choose one or two expensive or time-consuming activities for your summer activity goals.
Prioritize your downtime. Make sure your family's summer schedule also sets aside time for you!
Family fun doesn't have to be expensive. Time spent together is free! So, dust off the old family board games, learn a new card game, play in the sprinkler, or grab some popcorn and put on a movie!
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