ADD Student

All kids and most parents look forward to summer vacation. When my kids were in school, I looked forward to it as much as they did. It was a chance to take a break and get away from the stress that school could cause for all of us.

But with all the free time that summertime brings, it can also bring it’s own brand of stress and troubles.

The nature of summer vacation for most kids is one of almost complete freedom: no more getting up at a certain time, no school or homework, and for many, no extra activities. Just endless free time.

That kind of freedom can mean trouble for kids with ADHD.

ADHD kids thrive in a structured, organized environment, and for many kids, summer break is just the opposite.

Now all kids are different, as are families. Maybe yours does well in the summer when things are more relaxed.

But if you’re the kind of family or if your kid is the kind of kid who could use some structure, it’s easy to build it in. You don’t have to take it to the extent that the school year does – you can be more loose on when it’s time to get up or go to bed, but still add some purpose to their days.

You could establish a set reading time, for instance. Maybe the hour after lunch or mid-afternoon when it’s hottest can be designated as reading time. You could read to each other, or read silently. And if you could create a cool, inviting spot somewhere ideal for curling up with a book, well, that would be ideal.

One of the ideas I used to do with my kids each summer was to create a theme for the summer months. For instance, international summer. Each week we would pick a country and learn about it. We would cook a meal that was typical for that country and make some crafts that tied in with that culture.

Summer is great for letting kids experiment with crafts. A picnic table outdoors on the grass is great for letting kids use all the paints and glitter and glue that you’re cautious about using indoors. Use newspapers if you want to protect the table.

For more ideas for summer, check your local library for books or local events. And don’t forget sources like Boy Scout and Girl Scout handbooks. There are a lot of good ideas there.