Tackling the Transition from School to Summer with Foster Kids

The early weeks of summer break can be a struggle for everyone, including foster kids and teens. The disruption in routine and structure that comes at the end of the school year is one of many difficult transitions experienced by youth in foster care, and foster parents can help ease this particular switch with support, patience, and some careful planning thrown into the mix. 

Here are a few tips for tackling the transition from school to summer with foster kids, including kids with learning or behavioral challenges. 

Creating a Sense of Stability at Home

Brain Balance notes that, “If your child or teen has learning or behavioral challenges… spending the days and hours differently can make for a difficult transition, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed or feel lost.” 

To minimize stress and anxiety, they recommend creating a sense of stability at home. This can be done by sticking to a regular morning and nighttime routine, planning a daily schedule, minimizing the unexpected, and engaging kids with fun and educational opportunities throughout the summer months.

Providing healthy summer pursuits for foster teens is also important, and can include summer jobs, volunteering, playing sports, developing new skills, and exploring creative endeavors. 

Be sure to allow adequate time for adjustment, and be flexible when needed. And remember… Kids can have big emotions that can be difficult to regulate on their own. For clever ways to calm and comfort foster children, click here to read our blog.

Keeping Track of Important Dates

Greatschools.org recommends posting the family’s summer schedule where everyone at home can see it. “Mark activities (day camps, vacations, your teenager’s work schedule, etc.) on a “family size” calendar posted in a central location and invite your child to contribute. Together, you can determine key dates (e.g. community pool opens for recreational swim, July Fourth barbeque, etc.) and your child can mark them on the calendar.” 

Whether you prefer to keep a weekly or monthly schedule, good options include magnetic calendars that can stick to the refrigerator in the kitchen, or framed dry erase calendars that can be hung on the wall in a hall or entryway.   

Spending Time Outdoors

The American Psychological Association reports that “spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.” And there is no better time of year than summer for going outside!

Outdoor summer activities encourage family bonding and can include visiting the beach, building sandcastles, swimming at a local pool, visiting a state park or playground, joining a summer sports league, camping, playing with chalk on the sidewalk, blowing bubbles, flying kites, riding bikes, or simply running through the sprinkler in the backyard. And don’t forget the sunscreen!

If you live in the state of Illinois and want to become a foster parent, we invite you to visit our website for more information, or click on the following link to get started: https://family.binti.com/users/signup/camelot-il-initial.

Every child needs and deserves to grow up safe and protected from abuse and neglect, and caring foster parents offer children support and stability when they need it most. At Camelot Care Centers, we specialize in higher-level foster care for children and adolescents that need extra support. We partner with our foster parents/homes to provide trauma informed care and additional services, including in-home counseling, parent support and training, tele-psychiatry, and therapeutic mentoring, to maintain children at the least restrictive, yet most appropriate level of care. Camelot Care Centers (“Camelot”) is a Child Welfare Agency.