Whether you’re a teacher or a parent, summer is a fantastic time to reflect, reset, and have some fun. But, with the pressures of life always around us, it can feel nearly impossible to find the space and time for anything but getting by. Here are our number one tips for both teachers and parents, to keep summer light, fun, and intentional.

Teachers: Reflect & Record, then REST

Every teacher has been there: it’s mid June, grades are in, the kids are home for the summer, end-of-year Professional Development has wrapped, and you slam your laptop shut until September. We get it - sweet freedom!

But…hold on for one second. 

Before you run as fast as you can to the nearest beach (which you should totally do!) we want to push you to take a moment to reflect. Think about your year: what worked? What challenged you? What strategies were effective? Where were you making progress, and in what areas did you continue to struggle? Write it down! 

And that’s it! There’s no need to brainstorm new ideas, solve problems, or make plans. Just simply record your experience as the school year is coming to an end. That way, come September (or dare we suggest August?), you’ll have the opportunity to return to those challenges, strategies, successes, and struggles with a fresh, rested, and regulated perspective. Chances are, you’ll see new opportunities for how to support your future students. 

When we bolt out the door at the end of the year, and slam it shut behind us, we often leave so many opportunities for reflection and growth on the table. Take the extra moment to reflect now, and then leave it there for when you’re ready to return with a regulated perspective. That’s where you’ll find progress and problem solving that works.

Parents: Family Reset Rituals

Summer can be tough for parents, for so many reasons. We expect ourselves to be able to carry on doing what we’ve managed all school year – a full time or part time job, extracurricular activities, household responsibilities – and then also layer in the magical, spontaneous, joyous adventure of summertime! And then we find…it’s just not possible to do it all. 

So first, we love the idea of letting go of unrealistic expectations. Our kids will have fun, exciting, enriching, adventurous summers even when we don’t pack carefully curated, magical experiences into every day.

And second, because we know that the summertime responsibility load is overwhelming and often overstimulating, we love the idea of creating Family Reset Rituals! Pick a short daily ritual – maybe 10-20 minutes – and make it non-negotiable. View this time as a mini reset for your nervous system: a daily anchor that calms your body & mind. The key is consistency and simplicity, rather than perfection, and involve your kids! Let this time model self-care to your family, and at the same time, benefit from the impacts of the ritual on your nervous system.

Here are some ideas for Family Reset Rituals:

• Sit outside & watch/listen to the birds with a cup of coffee (or water!)
• 10 minutes of guided yoga
• Color a coloring page
• Water the plants
• Dance party! Everyone picks one song!
• Guided breathing meditation

Here’s to a fun, adventurous, and regulated summer!