COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — As the school year draws to a close, parents are gearing up for what some experts call the “summertime scaries.” A recent survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Kids Mental Health Foundation revealed that nearly half of the 1,100 parents polled are as concerned about their children’s mental health during the summer as they are during the school year.
Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, the Associate Clinical Director with the Kids Mental Health Foundation, explained the challenges parents face.
“With school, you have a very tight, structured timeline. And here comes summer, and it drops on the parents to come up with what that structure is going to be,” Dr. Bignall said.
The survey identified the top three concerns for parents: increased screen time, boredom or lack of structured activities, and disrupted routines and sleep schedules.
Increased screen time was the number one worry, with 38% of parents expressing concern.
“We know that too much screen time is going to be hard because you’re losing interaction with others,” said Dr. Bignall. “Sometimes it ends up being a battle between kids and parents.”
Boredom, a concern for 34% of parents, can also be beneficial, according to Dr. Bignall.
“A little bit of boredom is actually good for them to have because we want them to be creative,” she said. However, she emphasized the importance of balance and suggested that parents help by proposing small projects to occupy their children.
Disrupted routines and sleep schedules worried 26% of parents. Dr. Bignall noted, “Kids need sleep. It’s something about summer that we’re all like, we don’t need bedtime. We can get up and wake up whenever we want to, but actually our brains like structure.”
To mitigate these concerns, Dr. Bignall advised parents to establish clear guidelines and routines.
“Especially for younger kids, having routines really helps them feel secure and know what to expect throughout the day,” she said. She encouraged parents to start planning early to ensure a smooth transition into summer. “What helps it to be less scary is to start planning. Start putting some things in place so that you and your kids can have a great summer,” she said.
Follow ABC 6 On Your Side Anchor Terri Sullivan on Facebook and X.
