Finding Balance: Thriving Amidst End-of-Year School Stress

Even positive transitions (like summer break!) can feel overwhelming for children and parents alike. At the end of the school year, kids are navigating changes in routine, unfamiliar or “different” school days, increased stimulation (events, parties, field days), and anticipation and uncertainty. Even things like the weather getting hotter can be more dysregulating for some kids. This can show up as big feelings, clinginess, irritability, or unexpected behavior.

Here are some overall suggestions for you to consider. As always, adjust or focus on ones that feel particularly important for your child and family.

Support for You

First, Regulate Yourself

While the end of the school year can feel exciting for many children, it can feel like a lot for parents. There are added demands including (both not limited to) the following: field days, spirit weeks and dress-up days, teacher gifts, schedule changes, emotional transitions…and all of this on top of your already full life.

Are you getting enough sleep and water?: Even small dips here can make everything feel harder. These are biological imperatives to grant you a wider window of tolerance.

Notice Your Body: When you think about the end of the school year, what do you notice?

• Does your heart start pounding?

• Does your mind start running through a long to-do list?

• Do you feel tight, overwhelmed, or on edge?

  
  

Offer Your Body Support: Instead of pushing through, ask: “What would help my body feel even 10% more settled right now?” This might look like:

• taking a few slow breaths

• stepping outside for a minute

• stretching or moving your body

• pausing before the next task

  
  

Lower the Load Where You Can: This is a season to drop what isn’t essential. Can something be simplified? Can something wait? Can something be skipped altogether?

Redefine “Good Enough:” What is “good enough” in this season of life?

• Store-bought counts!!!

• Missed dress-up days are okay

• Simple is okay, too

  
  

Offer Yourself Compassion: If you feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or behind, try: “This is a lot right now. I’m doing what I can.”

Support for Kids

Make the Unknown Known: Kids feel safer when they know what to expect. Try to talk through changes ahead of time, as best as you can with the information that you’re aware of. Even if you don’t know everything, giving a general preview helps their brain prepare.

• “Tomorrow is field day, and there will be games outside and lots of noise. I wonder what our plan might be if things get to be too much.”

• “Next week your class is having a party, and things will feel different than usual.”

• “Your teacher might not be teaching as much, and there may be more fun activities.”

Use a Simple Countdown: Create a visual way to track the end of the year:

• Paper calendar

• Sticker countdown

• Chain links to remove each day (takes a little more effort and preparation)

Talk about it daily: “3 more days of school, then summer begins”

• This makes time feel predictable

• Reduces anxiety about “when things will change”

Name the “Different Days:” Help your child understand that school might not feel the same right now.

• “Some days might feel a little unusual.”

• “There might be more fun things and less routine.”

• “It’s okay if that feels exciting AND a little uncomfortable.”

  
  

Expect Big Feelings: We already know this. You might see:

• More meltdowns after school

• Increased sensitivity

• Trouble with transitions

• Regression in behavior

What Helps in the Moment

1. Lower demands when possible

• We always want to allow for after school restraint collapse time, but now more than ever we want to try to allow ample decompress time, if possible

• Less pressure for tasks or expectations

• Increased scaffolding supports (temporary)

  
  

2. Stay regulated and close as much as you can

• “That was a big day today.”

• “Your body is having a hard time leaving school. That makes sense. It was so fun.”

  
  

3. Keep Some Routines Steady

Even when school is changing, try to keep:

• bedtime routine

• morning rhythm

• mealtimes

  
  

4. Helpful Phrases

• “Things are a little different right now”

• “I’ll help you through it”

• “You’re safe, even when things change”

• “We can figure this out together”

The Big Picture:

Transitions are practice for life. With your support, your child is learning how to handle change and life transitions, how to move through uncertainty with support and co-regulation, and how to trust that they are safe even when things feel different.