Hello Summer… Good bye school! Summer is here and we sometimes think that these lazy, hazy months should be all play and no work. However, teachers, parents and researchers know that children lose academic skills over the summer. Commonly referred to as the “summer slide,” this decline in academic skills over summer break is a common occurrence and can be combated through strategically incorporating some engaging activities that focus on the three ‘R’s,’ reading, writing and arithmetic in July and August. Giving your children that much-needed break from structured academic learning is important, so creating opportunities for them to use their academic skills in fun summer activities is essential.
It is Spring and your child (or youth) has tests (e.g. Provincial Achievement Tests, year-end tests) in June that they will need to study for. Ideally, your child has consistently learned new academic skills throughout the year by balancing homework with social activities, exercise and plenty of sleep.
Stress is a subject typically thought of for adults; however, children too can become stressed about the important things in their lives. According to a KidsHealth® KidsPoll, 36 per cent of children listed grades, school and homework as the lead causes of stress in their lives. Without coping strategies to healthily manage stress and anxiety, children can easily become overwhelmed.
Parents often voice frustrations about their children’s (lack of) organizational skills. They cite examples of lost clothing, messy bedrooms and forgotten homework assignments. I generally become involved when poor/ineffective organizational skills are impacting success at school. When I meet with parents, I explain that it is never too late (or early) to focus on developing their child’s organizational skills.
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