Relationship Rescue: Feeling Guilty Summer is Over?

Feeling Guilty Summer Is Over?

Dear Robin:

Question: Should I feel guilty that I am glad summer is over? I know my child likes the “summer break”, but, I like the break when she goes to school. Please advise.

Advice: When the summer is at an end there are many parents who can’t wait for school to begin. It’s a way of having back that delightful structure once again. It is also knowing that your child/children are scheduled for a certain amount of hours and that allows you, the parent, to truly enjoy some time to get things accomplished. As much as we all love the feeling of summer, there are also many of us who fear it due to the lack of organized events. So another summer has rapidly ended leaving some of us sad, on some level, because we do love the slowness, the lack of urgency and the laziness. However, when you are a parent of a special needs child you truly enjoy the school year more because of the things it allows us to do.

Be proactive and get your child involved in the after school clubs that are provided for the typical population if your child is in high school. Unfortunately, once a child leaves middle school there is a huge abyss between what was provided and now what isn’t. Make some noise and get the school to hire a para-professional to stay after during the club time so that your child may benefit from the interactions. It will also allow that parent to have a couple of extra hours to organize what they need to do especially if part of that is working. I know that my children have benefited tremendously. They are involved in exercise, animal protectors, and the media club. Don’t allow the school to tell you that it’s not in the budget. If you pay taxes then it is in the budget!

Remember you are your child’s biggest advocate!!!

God Bless

Robin Newman LCSW PC

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Helpful Articles

• 8 Ways to be a Great Advocate For Your Family Member With Special Needs
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Parents Raising Children with Special Needs

This post originally appeared on our September/October 2011 Magazine