"Strategies for a Smooth Summer Break: Tips for Parents of Neurodivergent, Anxious, and Highly Sensitive Children"

Jun 28

Change is hard, and the transition to summer break can sometimes be challenging, especially for neurodivergent, anxious, and highly sensitive children. As parents, it can be confusing and stressful when our children struggle during what should be a fun and relaxing time. But don’t worry - this is a mystery we can solve!

In this post, we'll provide you with tips and strategies to help you better understand what might be going on for your child, and to navigate the summer break smoothly.

Start here: Embrace Routine and Structure

For many neurodivergent, anxious, and highly sensitive children, routine and structure are invaluable. Predictability helps them manage expectations, feel secure, and reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm. However, the summer break often disrupts these familiar routines. School is out, bedtimes become flexible, and the usual activities may change. As parents, it's important to establish a sense of routine and structure during this time.

Tip 1: Create a summer schedule

Summer doesn't need to be a time for super rigid schedules (unless that's something that really works for your family - in which case, absolutely schedule away!). Instead, we can think about designing a schedule that creates a consistent ‘rhythm.’ It doesn't need to be super structured to be helpful, but that predictability that can come with having a consistent rhythm will be very supportive.

To create your family's summer rhythm, you'll want to think about a few ‘big rocks’ - that is, the parts of your day that are fairly immovable and will be stable from day to day. In my house, that's meals and snacks. In your house, it might be outdoor time in the morning and quiet time in the afternoon. The key here is finding the ‘big rocks’ that are feasible and sustainable for your unique family. Then you can have more flexibility filling in the spaces between those big rocks. By creating a rhythm in this way you'll be balancing structure and flexibility which will provide your child with a sense of stability and familiarity that helps so much with overall regulation.

I’m a big fan of using a visual schedule to create this rhythm. That helps everyone to be on the same page and gives you extra ‘bang for your buck’ when it comes to supporting that need for predictability.

A visual schedule doesn’t need to be fancy. It can be words written on a whiteboard, simple stick drawings, or pieces of paper taped to the wall. I’ve got a free visual schedule for download here - it’s the same one I use with my own family!

Prepare for new experiences

Summer break offers lots of exciting opportunities for exploration and growth. However, trying new things can also be overwhelming for neurodivergent, anxious, and highly sensitive children. Being prepared and setting expectations can help ease anxiety and ensure a smoother transition into new experiences.

Tip 2: Use previewing to help

Before engaging in new experiences, take the time to preview and discuss them with your child. Talk about what they can expect, who will be there, and any potential challenges they may encounter. Providing this information in advance helps your child prepare mentally and emotionally, reducing stress and increasing their ability to stay regulated in these new situations.

Finding the right balance

Summer break often brings a mix of excitement and relaxation. However, finding the right balance between activities and downtime is crucial for your child's well-being. It's essential to recognize their need for rest and rejuvenation, while also encouraging engagement and growth.

Tip 3: Mindfully give opportunities for downtime

Ensure your child has regular opportunities for downtime. Encourage activities such as reading, imaginative play, and spending time in nature. Respect their need for solitude and provide a quiet space for recharging. By providing time and space for some openness and relaxation, you are also supporting them to fully enjoy and participate in those fun higher energy summer activities! If you have a highly sensitive child, providing these opportunities is particularly important!

Within this, it’s helpful to understand that for some neurodivergent kids, free time can be really challenging. This sense of open-ended time causes stress, rather than helps them to decompress like we intend! If that’s the case for your child, you can try offering a ‘menu’ of activities that they can choose from during their downtime. If downtime is what’s needed, consider things that both align with their interests and support a lower level of energy (like lego, drawing, sensory bin play, or reading).

Remember, every child is unique, and these strategies may need to be adapted to suit your child's specific needs. Observe their cues and communicate openly with them to understand their preferences and limitations. Together, we can make this summer break a memorable and enjoyable time for all.

Shannon Rolph is a pediatric Occupational Therapist and a mom to 3 (beautiful, wild, energetic) kids. She wholeheartedly believes 2 things are true: kids are amazing, and parenting can be hard. Shannon shares helpful information and practical strategies with parents and families to support them in finding more ease and joy in their parenting journeys.

Connect with Shannon on social here

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