Supporting your Child this Summer
- Jul 23
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Written by CAYP Psychology
July 23rd, 2026
A short, practical guide for parents. Based on advice from Dr Daniel Weisberg, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Founder of CAYP Psychology.
This piece is based on our recent parent webinar, which you can find here if you prefer audio format.
Summer can be a lovely break. It can also bring changes to routine, and worries about September. Some children find this exciting. Others find it hard.
You don't need a perfect summer to prepare your child for the new school year. What helps most is small, steady moments: everyday chats, gentle routines, and the way you respond when big feelings show up.
The Short Version
Worry is normal. Your child doesn't need rescuing from every worry. They need help learning they can cope.
Keep a loose routine. Predictable anchor points beat a strict hour-by-hour timetable.
Connection beats activities. Kids remember feeling listened to far more than expensive days out.
Prepare bit by bit. Start easing into September weeks ahead, not the final weekend.
Worry is normal, and that's OK
Anxiety isn't something to fear. It's the brain's way of getting ready for something unfamiliar.
Summer is full of change. Routines vanish. Friendships shift. Thoughts about September creep in. Even good change can feel uncertain, and not knowing what's coming is what makes worry grow.
A child can feel excited and worried at the same time. Both are normal.
Your job isn't to remove every worry. It's to help your child notice the feeling and discover they can handle it.
Keep a loose routine
Children feel safest when they roughly know what the day holds. You don't need to plan every hour. A few steady anchor points are enough:
Wake up around the same time.
Eat meals at similar times.
Keep a familiar bedtime routine.
Plan one activity, then leave plenty of free time.
Have a calm wind-down before bed.
This matters even more for autistic children and children with ADHD, who often find change harder. Knowing what's next lowers uncertainty, and lowers worry.
Let go of the perfect summer
Social media makes it look like every family is on exciting days out. Real life isn't like that.
Children don't need constant entertainment. They value connection: baking, films, dens, walks, time in the garden. These ordinary moments are the ones they remember.
Slowing down isn't lowering your standards. It's giving your child what they actually need.
Your calm helps your child feel calm
When children are overwhelmed, the thinking part of their brain switches off. They're not ignoring you. They're struggling to cope with big feelings.
Children borrow calm from the adults around them. You don't need to be calm every minute (no parent is). In hard moments, try to:
Sit nearby.
Keep your voice low and steady.
Use fewer words.
Offer comfort if they want it.
Once your child feels safe again, they can think and talk far more easily.
'Good Enough' parenting is enough
Maybe you lost your patience. Maybe you shouted when everyone was tired. Children don't need perfect parents. They need parents who repair things afterwards.
Saying sorry is powerful. Try something like:
"I'm sorry I shouted earlier. I was feeling overwhelmed, and I wish I'd handled that differently."
This shows your child that everyone has hard feelings, and that relationships recover. Repair builds trust far better than perfection.
Behaviour is communication
Children rarely say "I feel anxious." Instead, worry often shows up as behaviour: arguing more, refusing bed, tummy aches, withdrawing, or big emotions.
Instead of asking "Why are they behaving like this?", try asking:
"What might they be trying to tell me?"
This small shift turns frustration into curiosity, and usually helps you respond better.
Connect before your fix
It's natural to want to solve problems fast. But many children can't explain their feelings, especially when upset.
After a hard day, reconnect first. A hug, a snack, or sitting quietly together creates the safety they need before they're ready to talk. Connection comes before conversation.
Understand the feeling before reassuring
We often jump to "Don't worry" or "It'll be fine." These come from love, but children need to feel understood first.
Instead of reassuring straight away, try wondering aloud:
"I wonder if things feel a bit uncertain right now."
"I wonder if you're feeling worried about going back to school."
Once children feel heard, they're far more open to comfort.
Rethink screen time
Instead of only counting hours, notice how your child comes away from a screen. Many children use screens to relax or feel capable, so stopping can feel hard, especially with nothing to move on to.
Rather than demanding they stop, spend a minute joining in first:
Ask them to show you what they're doing.
Take an interest in their game.
Notice something they've built or achieved.
This makes the switch-off gentler and cuts down on conflict.
Don't rush to fix boredom
"I'm bored" can be frustrating, but boredom sparks creativity, imagination and independence. Children with space to be bored often find things they love.
Make a Boredom Menu together before the holidays. When "I'm bored" appears, they pick from it instead of relying on you. Ideas:
Drawing, Lego, puzzles
Reading or baking
Arts and crafts
Building dens
Outdoor games
Ease into September: bit by bit
Going back to school is easier when it feels familiar. Small steps across the summer make a big difference:
Visit the school.
Practise the journey.
Try on the uniform.
Pack the school bag together.
Look at photos of teachers.
Talk about the new year in a positive way.
For autistic children or children with ADHD, extra support helps even more:
A visual countdown calendar.
Social stories.
Practising the new routine.
Visiting new places before September.
Clear, concrete language about what will happen.
Help sleep settle back gently
Sleep affects mood, focus and resilience. Bedtimes always drift in the holidays, and that's normal. But fixing it all in the final weekend makes the return to school harder.
Instead, start weeks ahead. Move bedtime earlier by five or ten minutes every few days so your child's body adjusts slowly.
Support Friendships
For many children, the biggest worry isn't lessons. It's friends. Will they still want to play with me? Will I make new friends?
Where you can, arrange time with one or two familiar friends over the summer. Remind your child that friendships change as everyone grows, and that a couple of trusted friends matters far more than being friends with everyone.
Expect big feelings after school:
Many children hold it together all day, then let it all out at home, because home is where they feel safest. This isn't bad behaviour. It's exhaustion.
A snack, quieter surroundings, dimmer lights and some time to decompress before any questions can make a real difference.
A final thought
There's no perfect summer, and no perfect parent. Children don't need every day to be special. They need to feel safe, understood and connected.
The aim isn't to remove every worry. It's to help your child discover that, whatever September brings, they won't face it alone.
At CAYP Psychology, our expert team of experienced clinical psychologists offer therapy and support for parents and families. If you would like to learn more or discuss whether an assessment whether this would be helpful, please get in touch with our team at enquiries@cayp-psychology.com or 0333 242 0824.
