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Parent Playbook: Adjusting to Summer Break

Published Wednesday, June 17, 2026

by Leslie LeFevre, PhD, LPCC-S

Dear Mental Health Provider,

My kids just finished the school year, and I feel overwhelmed thinking about having them home all day. It seems like the summer starts off great and it’s nice being able to do fun activities with them, but it never fails that they start complaining about being bored, fighting with each other, and their behavior always seems to get worse. By the end of summer, I feel like I end up fed-up and exhausted.

Sincerely,

Dreading Summer Break

Dear Dreading Summer Break,

This is a common complaint from caregivers (including myself!). While summer break is often filled with fun activities and being able to have an unstructured schedule feels like a perk (Not having to wake the kids up for school and get them out of the door on time? Yes, please!), when you take all of the structure out of a child’s schedule is when they tend to struggle the most.

It is important to maintain a general schedule, particularly when it comes to the primary activities of the day such as mealtimes and sleep schedules. One of the main reasons children tend to have better behavior in school than on weekends or during school breaks is the structure and predictability that the school setting brings. Children tend to become increasingly irritable and emotional outbursts increase when schedules become unpredictable and their typical routines are altered.

This does not necessarily mean that you have to stick to the exact same schedule as school and can’t have any fun, but here are some main areas to start with:

1. Monitor sleep schedules: Even if you are allowing your children to stay up later now that they do not have to wake up early for school, it is important to keep bedtime within the same general timeframe and monitor the amount of sleep your child is receiving. If you are unsure the amount of sleep your child needs, The National Sleep Foundation has a helpful table to reference based on your child’s age: https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/

2. Monitor eating/nutrition: Children tend to access and consume larger amounts of snack foods and sugary drinks and food over the summer. It is important to ensure your child is still eating a variety of foods, drinking enough water, and consuming enough calories, especially protein. Snack foods and increased sugar tend to not fulfill a child’s dietary needs, even if they are consuming enough calories, which can lead to increased difficulty managing emotions. If you are unsure of the dietary recommendations for your child’s specific age, you can reference the guide found at this link: https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf

3. Encourage daily physical activities: Summer break often means increased access and use of electronics, which tend to a decrease in physical activities. It is important to ensure your child remains active and has access to activities that will help exert their energy. Here is a helpful guide to show the amount of physical activity children should engage in as well as ideas of activities for each age: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pdfs/FrameworkGraphicV11.pdf

4. Limit screen time: It can be easy to fall into the trap of allowing increased screentime to occupy children’s time now that they are home for longer periods of time; however, it is important to monitor the amount and content your child is accessing, since overuse of electronics can also lead to increased behavior difficulties, sleep disturbances, and emotional outbursts. Common Sense Media has a helpful guide for monitoring their use as well as parental blocks: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/family-tech-planners

Along with implementing these tips, it is also important to pay attention to your child’s cues and be aware of their common triggers. For example, if you notice your child starting to become more emotional during a trip to a park, it might be time to end the trip and head home for some downtime or a nap before the behavior shifts into bigger tantrums. Or if you know that your child gets extra cranky if they don’t eat lunch right away, maybe plan your outing for after lunch or early morning to ensure you get home in time.

The best piece of advice I can give is to be prepared for hiccups along the way and be flexible and patient with yourself and your children. It can definitely be hard, especially when you have specific plans in mind that you want to complete with your children, but being aware of your own limits is just as important as recognizing those in your child. Summer will be a more enjoyable experience for everyone when you are open to being flexible, communicating with one another regarding feelings and plans, and being open to changing plans as needed.

As always, if you or your child needs extra support for your mental health, you can contact us at 419-841-7701 to discuss setting up a new patient appointment!

Sincerely,

Leslie LeFevre, PhD, LPCC-S

Clinical Director of Youth Services

If you have a topic, question, or issue that you would like to learn more about, submit it to me by emailing [email protected]!

For further support or more information about the services we offer at Zepf Center, call 419-841-7701 to schedule a new client appointment.

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Parent Playbook: Adjusting to Summer Break

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Parent Playbook: Adjusting to Summer Break

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