TIP of the WEEK: Surviving Summer Vacation

Just a few days of being off schedule and routine can cause havoc, let alone three whole months! Here are some suggestions for keeping your sanity over the summer:

You may not be able to keep an exact routine but try to keep a schedule with similar activities on each day. For example; every Monday is for visiting friends or family, every Tuesday is a water day (lake, beach, sprinkler in the back yard), every Wednesday is an activity inside the house, every Thursday is a picnic (this way you can go wherever you need to as long as you keep the picnic promise), every Friday is an animal day (zoo, dog park, bird watching, fishing) etc… You can’t plan every day to be exactly the same each week but you can work off of themes and this will soon become a workable routine but will still allow for some flexibility.

Use a visual schedule. For kids who can’t read a visual schedule offers some peace of mind and reduces anxiety around the unknown. It may also reduce (but not eliminate!) questions about what is on the agenda for the following days.

Don’t stop learning. Children with PWS can lose a lot over the summer and each fall can be like starting over. Take time each day for “school” even if it means adding and subtracting seashells or spelling things that you find on a nature walk.

Most importantly reach out for help. You need some time off too. Ask family, friends, neighbors to help you watch your child, even if it is just a second set of hands at the store or an opportunity for you to take a nap or an extra-long shower.

Summer is for having fun and considering that it is 90 degrees in May I think we’re in for a long one!

Submitted by:
Patrice Carroll
Manager of PWS Services