5 Ways to Help Your Kids Manage Summer Depression

Summer is finally here, with promises of sunshine and relaxation. It’s easy to assume everyone — including children — is filled with joy and excitement for the season. However, for some kids, summer can bring feelings of loneliness, sadness, and even depression.

As a parent, it’s difficult to see your child struggle with negative emotions, but all is not lost. While it’s important to acknowledge and address these emotions, you play a crucial role in supporting your child during this time.

Here are five ways to help your kids manage summer depression.

1. Keep Them On a Schedule

Just because school is out for the summer doesn’t mean your child should spend the next two to three months going to bed and waking up whenever they want. It’s important to keep them on a reasonable and consistent schedule and routine so that their body and brain can have enough rest and recovery time to perform to the best of their ability.

Too much free time can actually exacerbate feelings of anxiety and depression for kids, so summer structure is a great resource for maintaining mental health. Help them maintain consistent wake-up and bedtime hours, schedule outings and activities, and incorporate downtime and self-care routines. Structure, even loose structure, provides stability and predictability, which is comforting for children struggling with symptoms of depression.

2. Create Social Connection

Your child may feel lonely without school and being close to classmates and friends. You can counteract these feelings by ensuring you spend time together as a family. Find activities or hobbies that you can share. You can plan meals together, go to the movies, complete house chores, or volunteer at a local animal shelter.

You can also help your child maintain social connections by organizing play dates, enrolling them in summer camps, or having them play a summer sport. Additionally, consider signing your child up for a community project or group activity where people share a similar interest. Social connection is vital to emotional support as well as a sense of belonging, all contributing to mental well-being.

3. Minimize Screen Time

Many children have access to various screens: televisions, computers, laptops, tablets, video games, and cell phones. While these things may be easily attainable, they shouldn’t be something that your child spends hours on each and every day. Try to limit or reduce the amount of screen time that your child has. The blue light that emits from these devices can cause issues with the chemicals in the brain as well as alter your child’s sleep schedule.

4. Get Outside

Summer means the sun is out. It’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Plus, getting outside can provide other benefits for mental health and wellness. Find ways to get your child outside. You can have them sign up for a recreational sport, take them to the pool, or plan walks or bike rides around your neighborhood. Enjoying the fresh air and nature and moving your body can help reduce stress and anxiety levels and improve one’s mood.

5. Seek Additional Support

Seasonal depression is a real and common type of depression. While seasonal depression in the winter is a lot more common, summer seasonal depression isn’t unheard of. Just because it’s nice out and your child doesn’t have to attend school doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t be sad or down. There are several factors at play. It can be difficult to see your child struggling. You’re not expected to have all of the answers. Fox Child and Family Therapy is here to help. Reach out to us today at 913-229-5691 to see how we can help both you and your child during this time.