Summertime Sadness

For a lot of kids and teens, there is a constant countdown to summer vacation going on in their head. They think of all the fun things they will do when they don’t have homework to worry about, tests to study for, or bedtimes restricting their video game playing. However, for some kids and teens, that countdown to summer is more one of dread- not because they’ll miss the schoolwork, but because they’ll miss the structure and connection school provides.

As kids get older, it’s harder and more expensive to find ways to keep them entertained all summer. A lot of teens almost look forward to the day they’re old enough to get a summer job so they can have something to do to keep themselves busy. There’s this weird age where summer camps may not be how they want to spend their summer, but they also can’t drive or get a job, leaving them with a lot of downtime that they may not know what to do with- causing feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

This can be such a confusing experience for those teens who suffer from “summertime sadness”- they know summer is supposed to be a time where fun memories are made, but instead they feel isolated from peers and jealous of the things they see their friends doing.

Join me this week to talk about how to help provide some support to your teen who experiences “summertime sadness”! 

by Kaylee Finlay