How much summer structure should my child with disabilities receive?

Summer is just around the corner and life is about to get easier: who needs summer structure? We’re kidding. In the Silicon Valley, many children have even more on their calendar in the summer than they do during the school year. Tutoring, summer camp, classes, extended school year, and more.

Extended School Year (ESY) as a form of summer structure

Many children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) attend ESY. Some receive daily classes while others receive only speech therapy services. Some receive individualized instruction, courtesy of school district funding. Other ESY plans have parents who put them in private tutoring, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and more. However, everyone needs down time. We once had a client whose child was 6 years old. This child went to school six hours a day, left school to go straight to two hours of ABA, then two hours of a structured social thinking group. After having dinner with their family, the child and their mother would work on academic drills until bedtime. A kindergarten student had a 12-hour long work day. There may be some children who can handle this sort of structure. This child was having trouble getting to sleep, whimpered in their sleep, highly reluctant to start their day, and increasingly refused to cooperate. When our client asked for our thoughts, we asked if she had considered that his days might be too busy. We suggested they might need some time in their day to relax, play with their toys, and not ‘have’ to do anything. The issue that the child was experiencing very well could have been something else, but their summer schedule seemed a good place to start.

There is no one right answer to creating a helpful summer structure.

Researchers at Harvard agree that children—like adults—need periods of downtime. It is a great idea to get our children the extra academic and social support they need. As outlined in their article, the Playtime, Downtime, Family time (PDF) approach is extremely helpful for giving your child the breaks they need to give their minds a rest and encourage them to thrive. For more information about our special education advocacy services, call or fill out our contact form. As parents, we understand. As advocates, we can help. Join us on Facebook!  Aspire—Home