1. Plan Ahead! – Start looking at Summer Camps or other summer activities before Spring Break. There are so many things to choose from that there is something out there for everyone.
2. Stay away from too much screen time – A little goes a long way. It’s far too easy to sit around and stare at a TV screen all day but even that gets boring after a while.
3. Keep to as normal a schedule as possible – Most kids want to sleep in and stay up late when school is out. While this is okay every now and then, it wreaks havoc on a child’s mood and behaviors overall. Keep meal times and chores the same over the summer. The more consistent their schedule, the easier the transition will be back to school in the fall. Kids welcome a structured schedule more than they realize (they just won’t tell you that).
4. Plan family outings regularly – We can’t all go away to a summer home on the weekends or take long extended vacations. Therefore, keep an eye out for family friendly activities in your local community and make the most of them.
5. Come up with fun projects – Encourage your child to use their imagination as much as possible. Do a bit of online research and you’ll come up with hundreds of fun, crafty, and creative ways to keep your kids busy.
6. Play dates! – Just because school is out doesn’t mean that children should disconnect from each other. Connect with other parents and coordinate your summer schedules.
7. Staycation! – Camp in the back yard, go on a picnic at the park, make regular visits to the neighborhood pool (or just have fun with the hose and sprinkler system!), host a field day for the neighborhood kids, go on a scavenger hunt, have family movie nights – The ideas are endless. And when you get stuck, Google and Pinterest are great resources for fun family ideas for staying at home.

Throughout the school year, families are plagued by being over scheduled and forced to run on empty all the time so summer can feel slow and dull after all of that hustle and bustle. Take advantage of this time and make the most of summer. Take every chance you get to spend some quality time with your kids and make it the best summer ever.

1. Study Skills: A student’s GPA for college admissions starts in the 9th grade (sometimes 8th for foreign language and math courses).
2. Time Management and Organizational Skills: Since students’ schedules have been pre-planned for them by the demands of high school, they often haven’t had experience at setting priorities with choices in what to do with their time.
3. Written and Communication Skills: Written and communication skills are often the top academic skills that educators say students today are lacking.
4. Resiliency: An important trait for students to develop… the ability to bounce back from setbacks, disappointments, and failures.
5. Self-Awareness: Many choose a college major based on what they have “learned” through media or heard about from friends, with little awareness about themselves and how a major or even a college could be a fit.
6. Problem-solving Skills: College faculty and administration continue to report that many students are used to having answers and support on demand; that they aren’t able to solve basic problems without consulting someone else.
7. Social Skills: As jobs in our nation continue to move toward the service industry sector, social skills will continue to become important for students finding life-long success in their careers and relationships.
8. Independence: Students must learn, with increased opportunity in their high school years, that independence and freedom must be earned by showing respect and responsibility.
9. Assertiveness: Students need to learn more about being assertive, rather than being passive or aggressive when resolving conflicts.
10. Financial Management: It is important to discuss expectations and a budget before a student leaves home.

Dr. Zuccolo is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Behavioral Health Consultant and Certified Master Coach at The Summit Counseling Center in Johns Creek, Georgia. Prior to joining The Summit, Dr. Zuccolo practiced at the La Vie Christian Counseling Center, the Pepperdine University Community Center, and the Assistance League of Southern California. He is a former Fortune 500 executive with over twenty years of management, consulting, and coaching experience.

The Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (GAMFT) is a division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), an international professional association established more than 65 years ago. Its activities and membership are dedicated to the promotion of the profession of marriage and family therapy and the advancement of practices and principles which enhance individual, couple and family well-being.

So many child victims keep bullying a secret. They don’t want to draw attention to themselves and they don’t want to make matters worse than they already are. The best way to cut down on bullying is to keep awareness alive. The more it’s talked about, the less likely it is to happen and the more likely kids will be to speak up for themselves if it is happening.

Bullying has a huge impact on a child’s self-esteem. The names we are called, the way we are treated, and the hits we may take can stay with us through adulthood. Bullying creates invisible scars (and sometimes visible ones) that don’t heal overnight. Think back on your own childhood. What school experiences have stuck with you? What names do you remember being called? How did the bully or mean kid at your school make you feel? If you dealt with bullies as a kid, chances are you can answer all of these questions with surprising clarity.

Here’s the good news. Children are incredibly resilient and can overcome a lot with the support and protection of loving parents, teachers, friends, and other impactful people. Children need to be encouraged. They need their self-esteem buckets filled on a constant basis. The better a child feels about themselves, the more of a shield they have around them to fight off a bully’s attack. Confidence goes a long way in deterring a bully. Tell your kids what they are good at. Point out their efforts and successes. Never let a day pass when you don’t compliment them on something. Focus on their strengths and not just fixing their weaknesses.

Talk to your kids often. The stronger your relationship with your kid, the more likely they are to come to you when they need you and the more honest they will be with their struggles. Listen intently, validate their struggles and build them up as only you can do as their parent.

To learn more about The Bullying Effect visit the AC360 blog.

• The natural development process during the teen years–what to expect and what is normal
• How to recognize signs that your teen is struggling
• Current technology and its role in teen behavior
• Best ways to communicate and mentor your teen

There will be a question/answer session following the presentation.

This presentation from Segue Ministries and The Summit Counseling Center is to educate and increase the awareness of parents on the real life choices, challenges and risks facing their preteens and teens when it comes to alcohol and drugs. This will include an in depth discussion on a growing abuse of marijuana among young preteens and teens.

About Segue
Segue was officially established September of 2008. But the dream of Segue began long before that. It was born out of the acknowledgement that para church organizations are great at outreach ministry when it comes to middle and high school students but often fall short when it comes to discipleship and connecting kids back to the church. Another observation was made that the church is great at discipling and raising mature believers among middle and high school students but often fall short at outreach ministry to the schools. Our attempt to “segue” the two together, is Segue Ministries Inc. Segue began as a direct ministry of Perimeter Church and evolved into a non profit in March of 2011. After much prayer and several conversations with Principals, we arrived with our 5 components/programs. Segue’s proposed attempt to do something so great for God, is to be the best at connecting the public middle & high school campuses to the church and the church to the public school campuses.

Mr. Hardman is a Master Addiction Counselor on staff at The Summit Counseling Center. He provides addiction treatment, management, consultation and specialized personal counseling services in both individual and group settings.

The overall goal of any PHP is to help healthcare providers with mental health and substance abuse problems obtain the care they need and, in doing so, to improve their safety to the public. Often individuals who have substance related disorders suffer from marital strife, depression, burnout, and other psychiatric, mental health and physical illnesses. The Georgia PHP oversees all of these related problems in individuals who have substance disorders.

Carleen Newsome is a licensed professional counselor at The Summit Counseling Center. Carleen works primarily with couples, adults, and adolescents and their families. Her areas of concentration and competence include relationship issues, life transitions, grief and loss, trauma, adolescent life skills and health and wellness coaching.

The Way is a service of the Victim Assistance Program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. To learn more about The Way contact Sue Stubbs at sstubbs@archatl.com.