We had an interesting chat on the Adoption.com chat group tonight about the pros and cons of year round schooling. The pros won out by an overwhelming margin.

Personally, I wish we had year round schooling here. We do a type of it with the kids. For kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) structure and consistency are incredibly important. For that reason alone did the “Summer Bridge Book” series every summer with Sammy.

The books are already set up on a daily basis, so he sat down and did each day’s activities at the same time he would do homework during the school year. This helped to keep him in his routine and eased his transition each year.

There is also the summer boredom issue. Having too much free time can give kids time to obsess over issues they normally wouldn’t, or to think about their past. I’m not advocating that kids forget their past, but rather that it’s not healthy for them to dwell on it. Most kids get bored during the summer, but it can become more difficult for a child with trauma in their past or for whose future is uncertain.

Another issue with foster kids is anxiety over changing schools. Since so many foster kids change schools each time their placement changes, they learn not to expect consistency or to remain in the same school for too long. Anxiety can begin to build over which school they’re going to attend even if you have assured them that they will not be changing schools.

Lastly was the issue of information retention. Even the most emotionally healthy child forgets a lot of what is learned the year before when they’ve had a three month break. I know I have a hard time remembering what happened three months ago. If you give a break of this length to a child with learning disabilities, it can become even more difficult.

Whether you are for or against year round school, what is in the best interest of our kids is most important.

Photo credit