As the school year wraps up, many children are keen for summer break. Summer means sunshine, and hopefully popsicles and lots of playtime. But for many families, summer also brings a combination of excitement and uncertainty.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, this transition may feel particularly challenging. In recent years, children across age groups have faced significant disruptions to their social and emotional development. Both parents and education experts say lockdowns and ongoing pandemic disruptions left lingering impacts, with some children still struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, social skills and difficulties focusing in school.
As summer kicks off, an effective tool for parents and caregivers is kindness. In early childhood development, kindness serves as a foundation for empathy and strong relationships, both of which are essential for social-emotional learning (SEL).
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Table of Contents
Foundation for strong relationships
Kindness is more than just being polite. It’s an essential element of emotional well-being and a core part of building resilience in children.
Experiences between children and parents or their caregivers matter to how children navigate life. Learning at school also matters: Recent research shows that children aged nine to 12 who received structured SEL instruction showed notable improvements in emotional well-being, peer relationships and overall happiness.
These benefits were especially pronounced during transitional periods, like starting a new school year, which parallels the shift into summer. The study highlighted that reinforcing SEL at home through kindness and emotional support helps children feel more grounded, confident and connected.
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Lingering pandemic effects
This is particularly important now. A Canadian study that followed nearly 1,400 children between the ages of nine and 14 found that their mental health didn’t bounce back after COVID. After an initial period of adjustment, symptoms like anxiety, depression, trouble focusing and restlessness got worse again once life returned to “normal.”
By 2023, more children were struggling with their mental health than at any point during the pandemic.
Challenges also extend to younger learners. For example, a 2023 Toronto District School Board report found many kindergarten-aged children entered school with delays, including in emotional regulation, communication and social interaction.
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While much public discourse has centred on academic recovery, these findings suggest that emotional recovery must be just as urgent a priority.
Kindness, offered consistently and sincerely, can help lay the groundwork for this healing process.
Grounding force during period of change
Transitions, even positive ones, can be tough on children.
This is where kindness becomes a practical strategy. A soft voice, a patient ear and an empathetic response can be grounding forces during periods of change.
When your child expresses nervousness about summer activities or feels lost without school structure, simple but supportive responses like “It’s OK to feel unsure, is there something you’re curious or excited about?” can go a long way in helping them feel safe and understood.
Kindness isn’t about coddling or sheltering children. It’s about creating the emotional security they need to develop strong coping skills.
Emotionally supportive environments empower children to regulate their emotions and form meaningful relationships.
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5 ways to support children
Here are five evidence-informed ways you can combine kindness with everyday parenting to support your children during summer transitions:
• Maintain predictable routines: Even in a relaxed summer setting, consistencies like regular mealtimes, rest and play help children feel secure. Research shows routines buffer children from behavioural challenges during periods of change.
• Name and validate emotions: Help children identify what they’re feeling. For example: “You seem frustrated,” or “You seem sad,” and prompting “Would you like to talk?” supports brain development and emotional regulation.
• Offer age-appropriate choices: Providing children with simple choices fosters autonomy and reduces power struggles. A 2020 child development study linked this practice to improved emotional outcomes.
• Practice co-regulation: When you stay calm and use tools like deep breathing, soft tones and physical presence, children learn by example how to manage big feelings.
• Prioritize play and connection: Pediatric specialists emphasize that unstructured play promotes creativity, resilience and emotional healing, especially important after prolonged stress.
Small, kind gestures, like offering a hug when your child is upset or sitting quietly with them, signal emotional availability and build trust. These simple acts help children feel safe, valued and ready to face the changes that summer may bring.
A collective recovery, one act at a time
Of course, kindness alone cannot solve all the challenges children face, but it offers a vital anchor during uncertain times.
Parents and caregivers don’t need to craft perfect summer plans. What children truly need is to feel emotionally safe. As summer brings change, acts of kindness can guide children and families toward healing and growth, fostering emotional resilience.
