2: Why Summer Is the Secret Weapon for School Success
Summer might feel like a time to totally unplug from school—but in this episode, I’m sharing why it’s actually the perfect time to lay the groundwork for a smoother year ahead. With a little intention (and zero pressure), you can use this slower season to reflect, get organized, and show up in the fall with more clarity and confidence.
Key Takeaways:
Summer is your secret planning season. With less daily school stress, you finally have space to reflect and get ahead—without the pressure.
Small steps now = less chaos later. A little intention during summer can prevent bigger school problems down the line.
Use the 4 R’s to guide your prep. Reflect, Review, Reconnect, and Research to uncover what your child really needs.
Confidence is contagious. When you show up clear and prepared, your child feels that steady energy too.
Resources:
Want a low-stress way to reflect, plan, and feel more confident for fall? Join the School Success Lab: Summer Edition—a 2-month membership designed to help you prep smarter, not harder.
Take the Golden Girls inspired School Support Style Quiz to find your unique superpowers.
Connect with Scotti:
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Transcript
2: Why Summer Is the Secret Weapon for School Success
[00:00:00] In today's episode, we dive into why summer is actually a secret weapon for school success. No more lunches to pack, no more checking the school portal and no more forgotten homework. Maybe the last thing on your mind is next school year, but what if I told you now is actually the best time to set the stage for a smoother, more successful school year ahead?
[00:00:23] I'm sharing. My summer is the smartest time to get started and how just a few small moves now can save you major stress later. Stick around 'cause I've got one quick exercise at the end that could shift. How you show up this fall.
[00:00:42] Welcome to Unlocking School Success, a podcast with the smart strategies and support parents need to help their kids thrive. I'm your host, Scotty Weintraub, parent coach, school navigator, and your go-to guide for turning school stress and chaos into clear strategies that work. Let's get started. [00:01:00] Welcome back to Unlocking School Success.
[00:01:04] Today we're talking about something that might surprise you. Why summer? Yes, I said summer is actually one of the best times to get ahead for the next school year. Before you think I'm trying to suck all the joy out of your carefree summer, hear me out. I promise that taking a few simple, easy steps now can save you time, energy, and frustration later.
[00:01:27] And who doesn't want that? Right? I'm betting that during the school year, your family's schedule is go, go, go, just like mine is. You've got kids activities, your own work, homework, battle, and those dreaded emails from school about problems. It's all exhausting. In the thick of the school year, you're probably in survival mode and reacting in the moment.
[00:01:53] You don't have time or energy to really step back and ask questions like, what's actually working here? [00:02:00] What's not working so well, and what does my kid really need? That's why summer is a gift. It's the one time of year when things slow down, just enough that you can actually breathe. You're not dealing with daily school stress.
[00:02:15] You've got a little more distance. You've got maybe vacations and sunshine and fun. That distance allows you to gain some really valuable perspective. I'm gonna be taking three guesses as to what you're thinking right about now. Maybe you're thinking, oh, I just wanna enjoy my summer break. That's fair.
[00:02:38] You should enjoy the break. I'm not saying you need to turn your summer into school version 2.0, but a little intention now. It's kind of like brushing and flossing before bed. It saves you from the bigger mess later. Maybe you're thinking there's nothing I can do until school starts. Well, I'm gonna [00:03:00] argue there's actually a lot you can do before the new school year rolls around, especially if the last year felt confusing or chaotic for your child or for you.
[00:03:12] This is your window to get ahead of potential problems and maybe even prevent them in the first place. And finally, you might be thinking it's too early to think about next year. I hear this one a lot, but here's my reframe for you to consider thinking about school now, when you're not overwhelmed, lets you be proactive instead of panicked.
[00:03:36] Let's talk about what that could look like. First off, no, I'm not assigning you a major take home project or asking you to make a vision board or color code your calendar, unless that's something you enjoy, then by all means go for it. But if you're looking for some simple low lift things to do that are high impact, here's some suggestions.
[00:03:59] I'll call [00:04:00] them the four Rs. First is reflect. Think about what went well this year, what didn't go so well? What made your parent gut say, Ugh, something's not right. What did teachers tell you about this school year? Where did your kid really shine? Write it all down just so you don't forget. Second R review.
[00:04:25] If your child happens to have a 5 0 4 or an IEP, it's a good time to just give those a reread. Maybe scan through some of the emails you got from teachers last year. Now, when you're not stressed, you can notice patterns that you might have missed before. Did the same concerns come up over and over again?
[00:04:48] Were there strategies that didn't get implemented or ideas? You only see clearly now that it's all over. The third R is reconnect. Now that your child's relaxed too, [00:05:00] it's a great time to ask for their school reflections. Try asking questions like, what's one thing you liked about school? What was something you wished was different?
[00:05:15] Ask them what they think might help them be more successful next year. You might be kind of surprised by their insights. The final R is research. What do you know about your child's unique needs? What might be helpful to them at school? Now's a great time to read that article on A DHD that you bookmarked and have been saving for when you had time or dig into some research about your child's learning disabilities or their neurodiversity.
[00:05:45] If you need help finding the right resources, have a look at my blog. There's lots of good stuff there. Or try me an email. I'm always happy to help.
[00:05:58] Here's the real magic of [00:06:00] doing even one of these things this summer. It creates momentum. You don't have to overhaul your parenting or reinvent a new approach, and I'm not asking you to miss out on pool time over the summer. You just need to take some intentional steps. If you do, here's some predictions for the start of the school year.
[00:06:25] I will bet you'll walk in with more confidence instead of second guessing yourself in meetings or wondering if you're overreacting. You'll know what concerns matter most, what your unique child's needs are, and where to start the conversation. I bet you'll have a stronger sense of what to ask for and what to push back on.
[00:06:52] When you take some time to reflect, you start to see the patterns and you're better equipped to say, I wonder if this is a [00:07:00] sign that he needs executive functioning support, for instance, or Can I share some information about how my daughter learns best? You'll stop settling for one size fits none advice, or having your concerns dismissed.
[00:07:18] I'm also guessing that you'll shift from. I hope this goes away to, I have a plan. That's a huge difference. Hope is nice, but having a plan, that's where a real change happens. And even if the plan has to adapt, which it probably will, you'll be steering the ship instead of clinging to uncertainty. And maybe most importantly, I think your child will really feel it too.
[00:07:50] When you are calmer, clearer, and more prepared, your child sees that you are showing them that school is something you can face together with [00:08:00] intention, not panic. And that's the kind of modeling that builds trust from our kids where they know we have their backs. What I've noticed with parents that I coach is that the ones who take even a few small steps.
[00:08:16] They walk into the new school year with a whole different energy. They're not waiting for things to go sideways. They're instead coming in prepared and calm and ready to work with the new teacher to make it the best year yet. Okay, as promised, here's your one small exercise you can do now in the midst of all of your summer adventures.
[00:08:39] Simply grab a piece of paper. Or maybe open the notes app on your phone and write down three things from this past school year that you want to repeat. That's it. Write down some good stuff. The ideas that your child latched onto, the things you or the teacher tried that really [00:09:00] worked, or the projects or ideas that helped your kid find some joy in belonging at school.
[00:09:06] It's worth remembering too, the good things that they do, because. It gives us valuable insight in what does work. After all, we don't wanna just see our kids as a summary of their challenges as their parents. We know that they are funny and talented and smart and so many other fabulous things, and chances are if they've had trouble at school, they're already hearing all the negative comments, so let's celebrate their amazingness too.
[00:09:39] What are their strengths? It might help them remember their own worth too. If you want some support making the most of your summer, I hope you'll join me in the New School Success Lab Summer Edition. It's a two month membership that starts on June 23rd. It won't take away [00:10:00] from your summer fun, but you'll get templates, checklists.
[00:10:03] Some live q and As and we're gonna do a book group to help you reflect on the last year and prep for the next one without the stress and certainly without sacrificing your summer. Remember, just a little intention now can save you a lot of stress later, and you don't have to overhaul everything. You just have to start.
[00:10:24] And if you wanna guide to help you do it, please join me inside the School Success Lab. I'd love to support you there. You'll find the info on my website and I'll link to it in the show notes. Until next time, take what summer gives you a little more quiet, a little more space, and a chance to get ahead without all the school year pressure.
[00:10:47] Thanks for tuning in to Unlocking School Success. If you're finding these episodes helpful, please hit follow, leave a review, or send it to another parent who's also navigating the school maze because [00:11:00] no one should have to figure this out alone. You'll find full show notes at reframeparenting.com slash podcast and you can come say hi on Instagram @ReframeParenting.
[00:11:10] Thanks again for listening. See you next time.
