As the school year winds down and the summer sun starts shining a little brighter, many parents feel that familiar pull—let the rules slide, relax routines, and just enjoy the season. After all, your kids have been working hard all year, and so have you. A slower pace sounds appealing. But before you toss the routine out the window, let’s talk about what really helps everyone enjoy summer without the crash.
At Glacier Psychology Services, we often see families hit a wall a few weeks into summer. What starts as fun and free-spirited can quickly lead to conflict, overstimulation, and frustrated attempts to rein things back in. That’s why we recommend setting clear summer boundaries right from the start.
Ease Up… With Intention
Yes, school is out. Yes, the days are longer. And yes, summer is meant to feel different. You can absolutely loosen the reins—just do it mindfully. Here are a few examples of reasonable summer adjustments:
• Extend bedtime by an hour – Let them enjoy fireflies and late sunsets.
• Add 20 extra minutes of screen time – But proceed with caution. Summer is when screen time tends to explode, and we want to see WAY more time outdoors instead.
• Add an extra dessert night – Summer ice cream is a must.
• Allow occasional weeknight sleepovers – It’s part of the magic of childhood.
The key is not eliminating structure—just modifying it to reflect the season while keeping your expectations intact.
Structure Still Matters
Even when school is out, structure provides kids with a sense of safety and predictability. A few ways to maintain this:
• School-oriented tasks 2–3 times per week – Reading for 30 minutes, reviewing math facts, or writing a summer journal entry keeps brains engaged and avoids a full September reset.
• Daily “cool-down” time – Every day should include quiet rest time. Encourage independent activities like puzzles, coloring, reading, or building.
• Reinforce expectations – Kindness, listening, helping around the house, and making the bed don’t go on vacation. Keep your family values front and center.
The Privilege-Responsibility Equation
Summer fun is a privilege—and privileges come with responsibilities. Make sure your kids know this from day one. You can say something like:
“We’re going to have an amazing summer with extra fun things. But that only works if everyone keeps doing their part at home. If responsibilities aren’t being met, we’ll need to pull back on the extras.”
This sets a tone of mutual respect and makes it clear: freedom doesn’t mean chaos.
In Summary:
Summer can be magical and manageable. Set expectations early. Be flexible, but not absent. Keep structure that supports your child’s emotional and mental wellbeing, and allow for enough fun to make lifelong memories. Your sanity—and theirs—will thank you.
Here’s to a summer of balance, joy, and just the right amount of ice cream.