Research studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Furthermore, these two key environmental conditions can significantly reduce and even prevent meltdowns. 

So, what is a meltdown? I encourage parents to consider that a meltdown can be an “involuntary reaction to overwhelming stressors.” This is quite different than a “willful manipulation of behavior to get a required result,” which is often associated with a tantrum. I am focusing on meltdown prevention in this blog because being out of school (which often is a core routine and schedule driven obligation) for many families means not having a set routine in place, which may trigger behavioral regression. Having an agenda in place, which is what a schedule and routine inherently offers, is helpful and relevant across all ages and throughout the calendar year, not just during summer break. Implementing a consistent routine over the summer will make the transition back to school or resuming other responsibilities in the fall easier. Furthermore, establishing a summer routine is beneficial for all children and not just helpful for children with attention, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges.

When we provide our children with the above two environmental key conditions, we are offering them much needed structure and predictability. Children do better when there is predictability and when they can anticipate what is coming up next. When our children have an anticipated schedule or something to look toward, they can start to plan ahead of what is to come and reduce any surprises or uncertainties in their day. This helps decrease any felt anticipatory anxiety, which in turn reduces any meltdowns. Additional benefits of creating and keeping a consistent routine over the summer for your children includes the following:

• Sticking to an established schedule of activities creates a sense of stability and security.
• Structure helps children deal with stress and reduces anxiety.
• Routine and structure can help teach children responsibility and self-control.

Some ways to maintain routine during the summer include:

• Keep a consistent wake and bedtime schedule. This will help keep your child’s body rhythm on track, make bedtime easier, and reduce the effects of being overtired.
• Schedule regular meals and snacks. This helps to maintain optimal blood sugar levels and reduces the likelihood of a meltdown when your child is “low on fuel.” 
• Include some down time or relaxation in your child’s daily routine or “me time.” This reduces or prevents overscheduling your child. For some children, not having a good balance between active time and down time in their day can often trigger a meltdown. 
• Include some age appropriate responsibilities for your child. This can provide a sense of accomplishment and can highlight that your child’s contribution to the family unit is important. 
• Include a family fun activity or just some family time to bring everyone together at the end of the day.

Keep in mind, when coming up with a summer schedule and routine, it is recommended to have your child participate in this process so that it does not come across as a parent is assigning or making the child do something. Rather, a collaborative approach allows for the child to feel a sense of control and offer suggestions, which in turn will likely increase participation in the summer routine without a fuss. Also, use a visual system to represent the day’s agenda so your child can refer to it as needed and know what to expect. Lastly, a summer schedule should be derived with a sense of flexibility and not in a rigid manner. Should an unforeseen change come up, a flexible schedule allows for things to move around and shift if needed. In these circumstances, prepare your child with some coping and positive self-talk which may include, “A change is about to happen, I can handle it” or “Oops this is a surprise in schedule, I didn’t expect it but I can handle it.” 

Maria Kanakos, Psy.D.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist