Here we are at the end of the school year. It has felt long and fast at the same time. Seems like Spring went by in a blink of an eye. Imagine what it’s like to try to understand the passage of time as a 4-5 year old. They have less experience with the way time keeps moving forward, with endings and beginnings. Your children have been interested in discussing the end of the school year, the final green dot days and the many, many red dot days. They have shown beginnings of understanding: one child recently shared that he is not sad about the red dot days because he will have play dates with his school friends. Many others wail in real and exaggerated grief as we cross off each green dot day on the calendar. All the while, teachers have attempted to be open sounding boards for kids’ feelings; scribes, as they dictate strategies for staying in touch; and, calm, reassuring figures of predictability in the face of impending change. Our advice to families is this…Look for ways to build some predictability and routine into your child’s Summer days (i.e. simple calendar they can engage with). Give them lots of space for their feelings and time for rest during the Fall transition. When they are falling apart, remind yourself it’s temporary. During hard times, look to the tool kit they’ve/you’ve built this school year. What will provide your child a sense of security? Can they keep a photo of you in their pocket? Maybe a small trinket? What about something that smells like you? And, finally, sometimes everything needs to be put on pause, because a good snuggle with a favorite book can take us a long way on the road to emotional refueling – for your child and you.
Teachers and parents feel the end of the school year, too. Every school year’s end is bittersweet. We build significant relationships with you and your young people, so it can be really hard to say goodbye. This year is an especially big goodbye for us. Amanda is off to a new adventure, Katrina to a new team, Anna to a new country! Thank you for your partnership this year (and many other years for some of you!) You have supported us in so many ways – time in the classroom, volunteering on the board/committee work, communicating with us, and trusting our ideas. We could not do this job without the parent community we are so fortunate to have at Park West. Finally, thank you for the generosity you’ve shown in end of the year gifts. They are a lovely treat!