By: Kate Daley
Summer can be the perfect time to get your child into therapy.
While there are benefits to counseling no matter the season, the summer could offer unique benefits to your child. Here are five benefits of summer counseling for kids.
Scheduling
We all know how busy the school year can be. Once the school day ends, there always seems to be a laundry list of commitments: piano lessons, soccer games, homework, packing lunches, getting dinner on the table, and making sure everyone, including you, gets to bed at a reasonable hour. While you might still be working your nine-to-five, your child no longer has school all day. This leaves a lot of room for flexibility and a new routine. Counseling is one of many options to fill that time when it may not have been as accessible during the school year.
Structure
With all this extra free time and a sudden lack of structure, your child may have difficulty adjusting. It is important to continue some sort of structure into the summer months to keep your child engaged, learning, and growing. Lack of responsibilities may lead to boredom which counseling can both help to prevent and address.
Preparing for School
Every year, your child is faced with a transition. Even if the transition from one grade level to another seems lowkey (i.e., the child remains in the same school versus transitioning to high school), there can still be quite a bit of anxiety present. Each year, children are expected to be more independent, organized, and accountable for themselves. There are often increased academic expectations and social dynamics with their peers. While parents and teachers can offer support, sometimes a child needs a little extra support. Counseling can be a great option to navigate these changes, pressures, and expectations.
Less Pressure
Speaking of pressure, kiddos have pressure coming at them from all directions: academically, athletically, socially, and emotionally, just to name a few. After a long day at school, counseling is likely the last thing a child wants to engage in and, as a counselor, I don’t blame them! School can be mentally and emotionally taxing and unpacking these experiences and emotions can be further overwhelming. Summer can be the perfect time because children often feel more refreshed and ready to engage in this kind of work.
Social Interaction
School is where kids spend seven or more hours of their day. It is therefore the primary place for social interaction and fostering relationships with their peers. When summer comes along, it isn’t uncommon for kids to struggle with isolation and loneliness without their built-in social environment. Therapy, even individual sessions, allows for social interaction beyond what they may get at home. Counseling can also help kids collect tools to increase their social interactions and foster healthy relationships with their peers in preparation for the next school year.
OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELLMINDED COUNSELING
Therapy for depression isn’t the only service we offer. WellMinded Counseling offers the following counseling services: