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.
