Often, clients share with me the following: “Sometimes I wish school was more like summer; he (she) is so relaxed, carefree, and at ease, that he looks like a whole different kid compared to what we see during the school year.” Can you relate to this? From my perspective, there are two major factors at play causing parents to make this claim: One, a lot of kids just don’t have enough connections to the learning process within the context of a 6.5 hour school day. For reasons, the traditional reading, writing, and math emphasis doesn’t create an in-depth resonance for many kids and this creates an “anxiety” for the gift within needs a pathway to develop. Secondly, there are many kids who experience an edgy, anxiety-like feeling due to sensory-overload from the school setting: bells, small spaces, forced cooperative learning, various personalities, and rambunctious recess and lunch periods.
So I make the following suggestion: Watch your child this summer. And I mean this literally, spend time observing without guiding their actions. Take notice of the following:
1. What does your son or daughter do which allows them to get lost in time and space as if there are no other interests in the world? These moments often reveal the gift within.
2. Observe how she handles playing with others in these settings? Introverted kids need time to work alone and often school sees this as “uncooperative” or socially not favorable. Also, if your child is engaged in social play, take notice of their role: leaders, followers, partners?
3. Also, check in with the basics such as nutrition and sleep. Sometimes kids just don’t get enough sleep during the school year or fueled by a well rounded diet. See if there are changes in either these areas. And take notice of the effect.
Summer is a great time to just be. And see what unfolds.
Larry