School Counselor Ms. Szmajda Shares Some Tips for Having a Stress-Free Summer


Summer can be a great time to develop stress-reducing strategies that can then carry over into the next school year. After the long winter that we experienced this year, getting out and enjoying the warm weather is a huge mood booster. 
 
Here are a few tips for a positive summer break:
 
- Try new things. If your child is going to camp, they will most likely try a new activity. If your child is staying home, plan some new adventures together, like canoeing in the Brandywine, visiting a local museum, or taking a class together.
 
- Keep some routines. Even when we are not in school, bedtime routines are still important. Sleep-deprived brains lead to negative moods and a lot more stress for everyone.
 
- Don't over-schedule. Summertime is often filled with graduation parties, vacations, camps, barbecues, and lots of activity. Make sure you plan out some time for relaxing and refreshing. While it may be tempting to say "yes" to everything, you'll end up feeling exhausted. Remember, it is OK to say no to invitations.
 
- Make time for reading. Researchers find that 30 minutes of reading each day will help improve students' language skills and maintain the progress they have made during the school year. On top of that, it is a relaxing activity that can be done just about anywhere. Allowing your child to choose their own books, comics, and graphic novels will keep them interested and entertained.
 
- Spend quality family time. Take some time to unplug devices and get in some true face time. Whether you are sightseeing in an exotic destination, splashing in the neighborhood pool, or playing board games on a rainy afternoon, enjoy the time with your loved ones. Take some time to journal about your favorite moments.
 
Enjoy your summers! Everyone has worked hard this year and deserves time for fun, freedom, and freeze-pops!
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergartenelementarymiddle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.