Edgewood Summer Tips for Families 2009
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2009
Exploring tide pools with your child is a fantastic summer activity.
SAN FRANCISCO — Enriching activites don't need to end when the school year comes to a close. Summer is a great time to enhance your family’s wellbeing, according to Edgewood's developmental and behavioral experts.
Edgewood's Director of School-based programs David Mulig offers six summer tips that every parent needs to know before the school year ends:
1. Keep it friendly
Group activities and play dates are great ways to make sure your child spends time with friends – both old and new! Take advantage of the many free or low-cost family activities our region has to offer.
2. Energize
Find ways to keep your kids up and running (and away from the television). Whether it’s organized sports or a family walk, longer days mean more opportunities for healthy movement. Spend some time outdoors connecting with nature. The Bay Area is full of great parks and green spaces to explore. Notice nature and enjoy it!
3. Re-discover the Library
Your local library is an amazing resource for children of all ages. Find new books to read with your child. Library story hours, music, movies, educational, and cultural presentations are all free!
4. Get Ready
Think ahead to the next school year – what can you do now to prepare? The summer is a good time to build skills in areas that were challenging the previous year. Ask your child's teacher about what he or she may need to work on to hit the ground running in the fall. An Edgewood angle: Think of ways to make learning fun and give lots of positive attention when your child makes progress.
5. Give Back
Free time in the summer is a great way to give back to the community by volunteering. Live your family's values by donating your time and talent to an organization that is meaningful to you. Making a contribution to your community gives your child a feeling of connectedness to the work around him.
6. Relax and Breathe
Make sure there is an actual “break” in your family's summer break. Don’t over-schedule activities. Find ways to spend some time just relaxing with your child – learning to take time to unwind is important for overall wellbeing.
Edgewood's School-Based Wellbeing program, The Grace Magill Project, supports schools in creating an environment that encourages a holistic approach to wellness in six key areas: emotional, social, physical, intellectual, occupational, and spiritual well-being. It also works to destigmatize mental health issues among teenagers and creates resources for teens in need.
Bay Area Resources for Family Activities
Edgewood recommends the following resources for summer fun and enrichment ideas:
Edgewood's School-based Programs
Edgewood is the largest provider of school-based, behavioral and mental health services in San Francisco. Edgewood operates six programs in Bay Area schools:
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Primary Intervention Program (Edgewood PIP) helps students with school adjustment problems improve self esteem, learn appropriate behavior and improve their ability to express themselves.
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Teacher Training helps educators learn to positively manage their classrooms and proactively handle even the most challenging behaviors.
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Behavior Coaching helps children with behavioral problems and their caregivers and teachers through activities that build social skills, self-esteem and empathy.
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About Edgewood
Edgewood Center for Children and Families (Edgewood) helps children and families take back their future by working with them to overcome severe challenges like abuse, neglect, mental illness and crisis. The oldest children's charity in the western U.S., Edgewood has evolved to meet the community’s changing needs. What began as a refuge for Gold Rush orphanage more than 150 years ago is now a nationally recognized, multifaceted agency. Edgewood serves more than 5,000 children and families in the Bay Area each year through community and residential programs.
Media Contact
Bryce Eberhart
Communications Director
415.730.9058
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