Mental Health Doesn’t Take a Vacation

Summer break. The time of year kids dream about: no tests, no homework, no early alarms. Just sunshine, snacks, screen time, and... sadness?

 Yes. While summer may seem like a carefree season for children and teens, research says otherwise. According to the CDC, nearly 1 in 5 children between the ages of 6 and 17 experience a mental health disorder each year, and disruptions in routine, like summer vacation, can exacerbate emotional instability. Without the structure of school or daily interaction with peers and trusted adults like teachers and counselors, some kids find themselves overwhelmed by boredom, isolation, and emotional challenges they aren’t yet equipped to handle.

 While adults might reminisce about lazy summer days spent riding bikes and chasing the ice cream truck, today’s youth are navigating a different world. A world where social media tells them how to act, how to respond, and decides what is cool and what is out. In this world, mental health struggles are real, rising, and too often overlooked when the bell stops ringing.

Because here’s the truth: mental health doesn’t take a vacation.

What Are the “Summer Blues”?

The “summer blues” refer to feelings of sadness, low motivation, irritability, or anxiety that emerge during summer months. For kids and teens, this can look like:

*Withdrawing from social interaction

*Increased screen time and sleeping late

*Complaining of boredom or being “over it”

*Outbursts, mood swings, or clinginess

*Regressing behaviors, even in older kids

Let’s be clear, not every child will fall into a funk when school’s out. But for many, especially those dealing with emotional changes, family stressors, or grief, the lack of structure and access to support systems can cause them to spiral with no resources to help them navigate these feelings.

Why It Happens

Kids thrive on structure, even if they complain about it. The school year gives them purpose, goals, and consistent interactions. Once summer hits, everything gets turned upside down. The social outlets are gone. They miss their friends and support systems. Not to mention less adult guidance when teachers, counselors, and mentors aren't around. Their days are composed of unstructured time. Time that they now must fill with activities on their own. Boredom and lack of direction can feel like chaos to a developing brain. For children experiencing grief or major changes, summer can magnify the feeling of absence.

 As parents, you want to protect your child, but figuring out how to do that without hovering is challenging. The solution is equipping them with healthy coping strategies, emotional outlets, and yes, even digital tools that help them express and process how they feel.

So, What Can You Do to Help?

Here are five empowering, parent-approved ways to help your child or teen manage the summer blues and maintain their emotional well-being when school’s out.

1. Keep a Soft Structure

Summer doesn’t need to be scheduled down to the minute, but kids need predictability. Create a loose daily routine, like waking up at a consistent time, having a set hour for reading or journaling, getting outside each day, and winding down with a favorite show or activity at night.

This structure mimics the rhythm of a school day while still allowing flexibility. Routines are calming because they remove uncertainty and for anxious or grieving kids, predictability brings peace.

2. Encourage Emotional Expression (In Their Language)

Your child may not always say “I’m feeling sad,” but their behavior might. Teach them that emotions aren’t wrong, they’re human. You can try this activity to express feelings or concerns. 

Set up a “worry jar” where they can write down anything bothering them.

Let them journal, draw, or even use emojis to reflect how they feel.

Model healthy expression by saying things like, “I felt a little off today. I think I needed a walk.”

 For kids who have experienced loss, big changes, or anxiety, having an outlet is essential. Loss doesn’t just mean a death. Loss can be a friend moving away, not having the same teacher they loved, or going to a new school. That’s why I wrote When They’re Not Here Anymore, an illustrated grief book for kids and teens to help them navigate loss with honesty and healing. The interactive stories and prompts guide them through tough feelings, especially during quieter seasons like summer.

3. Build in Connection Time

Social interaction matters, especially for teens. But when schedules don’t align or access is limited, loneliness creeps in. Make connection part of their week. Whether it’s virtual hangouts, family sleepovers, or even community service opportunities with other kids.

Also, don’t underestimate connection with you. Even if it’s just a hamburger run or a grocery store trip, that one-on-one time creates an opening for meaningful conversation. They just might open more than you expect.

4. Get Their Minds Moving Too

Mental stagnation can make emotional distress worse. Find engaging opportunities to engage their mind. 

Podcasts or audiobooks on topics they’re into

DIY projects or science experiments

Building a summer “vision board”

Journaling (see my blog for ideas)

Even just 30 minutes a day of creative stimulation can give their mind a purpose, direction, and boost their confidence.

5. Tap Into Free Mental Health Resources (Like Your Mind, Your Magic)

This is the part most parents miss: you don’t have to do this alone. That’s why I created Your Mind, Your Magic, a completely free digital platform designed for kids, tweens, and teens.

It includes interactive affirmations customized for how they’re feeling. Self-reflection exercises and journal prompts. A fun stress quiz that helps them understand their coping style. 

All of this was designed not just by a mental health advocate, but by someone who’s been there, who knows how it feels to be scared, stuck, or unsure. Your child may not always say, “I need help.” But tools like this give them a way to help themselves on their terms.

Final Thoughts. Magic Starts at Home.

Summer doesn’t have to be a season of sadness. With just a little intention, some fun structure, and meaningful emotional tools, your child can emerge stronger, more resilient, and more connected with themselves than ever before.

Because the truth is kids don’t just need fun during the summer.

They need to feel seen.

They need to feel heard.

They need to know that how they feel matters.

 And with Your Mind, Your Magic, you can help them discover that their emotions aren’t a burden. They’re part of their magic.

Visit www.yourmindyourmagic.com to explore the full library of tools for your child or use it as a family project and engage together.

Holly Cotton is a wellness expert, speaker, self-love facilitator and author of several empowerment books including, The Morning After, When They’re Not Here Anymore, and the creator of Your Mind, Your Magic, a free interactive digital platform helping youth navigate mental health, grief, and self-love through affirmations and interactive tools. 

www.hollycotton.com