The End Of The School Year

The end of another school year is here! 

To some parents, this can be a sad reminder of how quickly our children grow. To others, it may offer a nice change of pace, and still others may find it stressful to figure out what to do with our children during the summer. And maybe it’s all of the above!

No matter what emotions the end of the school year brings, it can be helpful to celebrate it and sort it, giving our children and ourselves a chance to process the year and feel ready to move on.

Celebrate The End Of The School Year

As a parent, I have realized that children cherish traditions. Especially little children, who don’t look at the calendar, rely on traditions to know what time of the year it is.

Traditions don't need to be big. Stringing a 'Happy Birthday' sign when it's someone's birthday, buying yellow flowers for Easter, wearing green for St. Patricks Day, or eating hot dogs on 4th of July are all examples of small traditions. Some of the traditions may form quite naturally without any planning.

But whether you plan an elaborate end of the school year party or go eat ice cream on the last day of school, it’s good to mark the end of an era by doing something, even just a little bit, out of the ordinary.

Hold on to traditions that bring joy. Let go of the ones that bring more stress than joy.

Sort The Past School Year Right Away

As soon as possible, after marking the end of the school year with some type of celebration, set aside time to sort all the materials that accompanied the past school year. 

This is nice to do with the kids! They will feel proud to show you their work.

Gather all the books, paper, crafts, etc., they’ve brought home and sort them:

• Admire their hard work and display their projects. Give some to grandparents or other family members if possible! Store the rest of your favorites in a dedicated space.

  
  

• Recycle paper that is no longer needed.

  
  

• Trash projects that were never finished (unless your kid really wants to finish them!)

  
  

• Donate or sell backpacks, lunch containers, sports gear, music instruments, books, binders, and other school supplies that your child has outgrown but are still in good condition.

Now, it’s time to enjoy summer (&rest)!