Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Summer Break Fun? OR Not?


It may be a silly thought to think of kids not being excited about Summer vacation. Why wouldn't kids look forward to three months of nothing but sleeping in, cartoons and snacking all day? Of course, kids would look forward to that if every child had the possibility of a lazy and fun summer vacation but unfortunately, that's not always the case. In 2016, it was reported that more than 26% of school aged children face food insecurity. Kids look forward to their Monday through Friday school days because they know that two out of three meals will be supplied for them. But it's not just food that kids look forward to during the school year it's also a routine, they know what their day will consist of and know who will be there. When they arrive at school, they will see their friends, their teacher, possibly a teacher's aid or office staff. We all know how important it is for kids to have a schedule and how much a routine can assist better behavior so, when they are released for Summer break, their routine will change and for a lot of kids, their day to day routine will change as well. 

School is also exciting for a lot of kids. They are able to look forward to field trips and fun lessons where they  can draw, dress up, watch a movie or even have someone come in to the classroom for a lesson. When the school lets out for summer they may not have things to look forward to as they would in school. Sure, most kids have a summer vacation but a lot of kids do not. Being in the classroom, even in today's scary environment, still can host as a safe haven for kids.

Many children live in homes where there is violence all around them and being at school shows them that there are loving, kind and protective people in their small lives and it is a place they can go to learn and thrive. Of course, children need breaks, just like adults! But we, as adults, as a community and as a nation must understand that in a lot of cases, school days are some of the best days for children. 




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