Our Daily Show Interview! OSF Healthcare: Navigating Summer
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ALTON - As summer kicks off, a local psychotherapist has advice for busy families who are dealing with the stress of the transition.
Lisa Lawrence, LCSW, works with OSF St. Anthony’s Psychological Services Department to serve young kids and their families. She noted that summer can be a big transition for families as they welcome their children home from school, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
“Allow grace and space for the family to transition to summertime itself,” Lawrence advised. “All of it happens so quickly and then we’re in summertime. All of our schedules have changed, and it’s kind of like, what are we doing, where are we supposed to be, how are we getting there? So I think just mindfulness towards that. How are we doing with the schedules? Are we maintaining proper sleep and are we eating, are we having water, do we know where we’re going? Those kinds of things.”
Summer can be a great opportunity for families to spend more time together, but Lawrence knows everyone has their own schedules, obligations and interests. She encourages families to think about their priorities for the season. She suggests making a list of activities that families want to do together and using that as a starting point.
As kids spend more time with their friends in the summer, some adults struggle to stay connected with their children. Lawrence encourages families to designate “connection points” where they can come together and reflect.
“At the beginning of the summer, trying to kind of sketch out what is important to us, what are the things we really want to experience, and then starting with a list of those things,” she said. “As the kids get older and they do have their own things that they’re doing, being mindful about the connection points. Maybe we have dinner or maybe we see each other for breakfast or maybe we have a check-in during the lunchtime. Something like that just to keep the connections and the family together.”
Lawrence noted that some parents have found success by implementing behavior modification tools that their children use at school. For example, if your child responds well to incentives like dress-up days or picnics, you can use these rewards to encourage good behavior.
She suggests talking to your child about how their teacher supports them and their goals in class. You can also talk together about how to create more positive outcomes. These conversations encourage kids and parents to work together.
As families settle into summer, Lawrence hopes they can enjoy their time together without too much additional stress. She suggests being honest about any stressors and looking for joy where you can find it. Summer can be a big change, but with “grace and space,” it can be a great experience for everyone in the household.
“I do talk to families a lot about that idea and giving ourselves grace and space to acknowledge that we’re overwhelmed or we’re overscheduled,” she added. “Nothing is going as planned. How do we reset? How do we find our purpose? How do we breathe and have snacks and reevaluate the situation?”
For more information about OSF St. Anthony’s Psychological Services Department, call 618-474-6240. Lawrence added that she is currently accepting elementary and middle school-aged clients.
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