Throw Out the Schedules: Summer is a Time for Fun
The sun is out, the thermometer is rising and the school bell will soon ring for the last time for months. It's summer vacation and it's time for family and fun. But with the freedom comes a change in routine, and special attention is needed to ensure that children are not overscheduled despite the break from academics and school obligations.
Many families schedule elaborate vacations to destinations far away, and this can result in overprogramming, altered sleep schedules and exhaustion. Despite all the planning and expense, younger children don't necessarily remember vacations. They remember the family being together but not where the family traveled or what they did.
A great alternative is a "staycation," especially for younger children, according to Stephanie Hemm, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician with LifeBridge Health. "Sometimes some of the most wonderful memories and wonderful experiences happen at home."
Dr. Hemm suggests playing games and participating in outdoor activities at home, as well as taking day trips around the Baltimore area and locations a short drive away.
"It's a nice way for the family to get some good time together without having to disrupt their regular sleeping and eating routine, especially for the younger set," Dr. Hemm adds. "Parents who have been on trips with two-year-olds know that vacations can interrupt their sleep and getting them back on a sleep schedule can be difficult."
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule should be a priority during the summer for children of all ages. According to Dr. Hemm, adolescents have a tendency to stay up late or even all night and then sleep the following day, which can become a difficult pattern to break once school resumes. If they do fall into that pattern, make sure to begin in early August to readjust their schedules.
Summer is a time to ensure that children get enough rest. "The best thing is to let the child sleep as much as they need to," says Dr. Hemm. "It's what their body is needing for growth and development."
Infants need as much as 16 hours of sleep a day. Preschoolers need like 12 to 14 hours, and school age children require as much as 12 hours. One thing Dr. Hemm recommends, especially in summer, is to ensure children go to sleep early enough to get adequate sleep.
"If they go to bed early, from sleep hygiene standpoint, they are going to feel more rested and actually going to end up getting more of the sleep that they need," she says. "It gets harder in the summer as it stays light and light later."
Children who are overtired from a late night or extensively overscheduled day can experience difficulty sleeping. They may wake up earlier the next morning, which can compromise that day's plans. Teenagers, Dr. Hemm says, are in their "second toddlerhood," based on their behavior, sleep and development.
Adequate sleep can fuel children for the activities of the day. But just as important is to make sure not to over-program them. In fact, Dr. Hemm suggests having days with nothing planned at all.
"It's okay if they say they are bored. Not providing them with an activity constantly during the summer and letting them have that time - without electronics - requires them to occupy themselves. It is a really important part of development in general. And the summer is a nice time for that to happen.
"Boredom is sometimes when the magic happens, when they create things to do with their own ideas."
If the children are old enough to stay home without their parents during the day, give them some semblance of a routine. Offer a list of chores and things they can do near the house, like walking the dog or to the library if it's close by, to ensure they don't sleep or play video games all day.
"The biggest message is to have unscheduled, screen-free time," concludes Dr. Hemm. "That's probably the best parents can do for their kids over the summer."
Dr. Hemm sees patients at LifeBridge Pediatrics at Loch Raven, 8000B Loch Raven Boulevard in Towson. To make an appointment, visit lifebridgehealth.org/hellobrave