As school winds down and the weather heats up, our students are already looking forward to summer. Some are planning to get jobs or go to camp, others are looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, and some are looking blissfully ahead to sleeping in every day. Other students (and their families) get a little nervous about three whole months without school and with less structure.If you want to have a healthy, balanced summer, here are some tips that could help.

"How can I help my teen build self-confidence—without tipping into overconfidence?" It's a question many parents ask, and it captures one of the complications of teen life. We want our young people to be confident in themselves, but we don't want them to be overconfident to the point of taking dangerous risks. Risk and confidence are both intricately tied to adolescent development, and it is so important that teens build their confidence and learn their limits through taking healthy risks. When teens develop these attributes, they are empowered to make informed decisions, embrace opportunities, and build resilience for the future.

By the time many teens reach high school, they may have been alienated by PE classes that are not tailored to their interests, sports teams that are overly competitive, or environments without many options for outdoor activities. These common barriers often leave teens feeling disconnected from physical activity. Encouraging teens to exercise in ways that resonate can be transformative, helping them discover the joy and benefits of physical movement in their own unique ways.

Language, who cares it is just words! “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Each school year, as we get to know each other, it becomes clear that we all have had unique experiences in the world. As individuals, we have built our beliefs and our understanding of the world around us. We have discovered that words have different connotations to different individuals. But we may not yet have learned about the power of language to tear down or build a welcoming and inclusive community.