Meadow High School Parent Portal - Weekly Bulletin - Issue 38

Dear Families,

For many people, the summer break is a lovely time. Trips, holidays, meeting family and friends and simply lounging around!

However, for others, we know that the change in routine, the different activities and structure of the day can be a point of anxiety and potential upset.

If you are concerned about any of this, please contact your child's Form Team, who can support you to create visuals and resources to make the transition to the break so much easier.

Please find below some tips to support your child to have a well-regulated summer break:

Planning. Write a list of your concerns and make a plan to address each one.
Calendar. Use a calendar or piece of paper to plan for the break. You might put 'big' events on the calendar straight away and then plan a week in advance for the day-to-day detail.
Communication. Make your child aware of what's coming up for the next week and consider a daily chart to help them through the day.
Routine. Keeping to a strict routine is essential for some children, whilst others are able to adapt to a slightly modified one.
Sleep. Staying up all night and sleeping all day is not good for anyone's health and will make the transition back to school so much harder for your child. Whilst teenagers will want a lie-in, having an agreed time to get up each day is hugely beneficial.
Hydration. Most of us don't drink enough fluids. Keeping well hydrated has many health benefits, including allowing us to regulate our emotions better.
Exercise. Getting 'out and about' in the daylight with some gentle exercise not only helps your physical health. It also allows our brain to know the difference between day and night and has a positive impact on sleep.
Diet. Eating a well-balanced diet at regular times not only balances our blood sugar and helps prevent 'highs' and 'lows'. It also helps structure our day.
Online safety. In the absence of meeting up with their friends, many young people will use social media and online gaming to connect. Whilst this is a good way of maintaining contact, it is also extremely open to abuse by adults looking to engage with vulnerable young people in a negative way.
Time limits. We suggest limiting screen time and getting your child to 'earn' half-hour increments of time up to around 2 hours a day maximum.
Emergency. In an emergency, if your child is dangerously dysregulated, at risk of harm to themselves or others or causing serious damage, please call 999 for the Police, telling them your child's age, that they have a learning disability and attend Meadow High Special School.