How Your Child Can Keep Their Mental Health Up This Summer

During the summer months, children are out of school and back at home. This can be a good thing for many kids, but challenging for others – especially when it comes to maintaining good mental health.

We asked Courtney Smith, LMSW, lead therapist with Community Youth Behavioral Health at Greece Arcadia Middle and High Schools, about the challenges students face outside of school during the summer and what parents and caregivers can do to help meet them where they are at.

How schools help students during the school year

Kids rely directly and indirectly on school to help them in different ways from September to June. School districts offer a variety of services and programs daily, including meals, physical activity, medical care, after-school care, and counseling.

In addition to these direct services offered to all school-aged children, children also have the benefit of forming friendships with other children and socializing daily, interacting with adults, and having a structured routine to follow.

Especially in a society where both parents are often working jobs from 9 am to 5 pm to make ends meet, the shift from a lot of mental stimulation to not much mental stimulation during the summer months can affect a child’s behavior.

“Often during the summer, kids go from being social daily to daily isolation,” Smith said. “It is a lot of keeping to themselves, playing video games, or doing whatever it is that they want to do. That’s why it’s so important to keep them as engaged as possible.”

Keeping your child active in the summer

While summer gives kids a chance to relax and not be as strictly involved in school and extracurricular activities as they normally are, letting go of any sense of routine can negatively affect their mental and emotional health.

Regardless of age, keeping your child on a regular routine for sleeping and eating consistently can help to maintain good mental health. Planning out activities is a good way to keep that routine.

For younger children, this might include:

• Summer camps
• Visiting libraries
• Exploring parks and nature trails
• Supervised screen time
• Playing with other children

For teens 14 and older, considering a summer job can give them a sense of responsibility and independence.

“A summer job allows them to be back on a regular schedule, getting up at a consistent time, and interacting with different kids,” Smith said. “They will also start identifying those adult skills that they're going to need eventually.”

What to watch for with your child over the summer

Every child’s mental health looks different. That is why it is important to know your child’s baseline behavior so you can determine what is normal for them and what is different.

Mental health changes display differently for younger children compared to older children. Younger children will externalize their feelings and react in ways that are abnormal for them.

For older kids, changes in mood or attitude are common. Teenagers can be a rollercoaster of emotion, but if there is a significant change in how they present themselves, that can be a sign of something more.

Some signs to watch for might include:

• Increased anxiety and worry
• Aggression
• Irritability
• Self-harm
• Withdrawal

“If you are seeing behavioral changes continue for 2-3 weeks and your child has completely changed, that’s a good time to seek out support,” Smith said.

The Genesee Mental Health Clinic takes walk-in appointments 2 days a week: Mondays and Wednesdays from 8-10 a.m. Families can speak with their school counselor/social worker about being referred or call our scheduling services at (585) 922-9900.

“Parents are welcome to schedule an appointment for their child,” Smith said. “A lot of times kids find it sometimes easier to talk to another adult who is not a parent. Different things can come to light in therapy if the child is open to it.”