Planning for Summers of Growth & Joy with Michael Thompson, PhD
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Overview: For most parents, planning a summer for their children is a complex mix of their own work demands, requests to visit extended family, the ages, temperaments and interests of their children, pressure on children from sports coaches, and the goals parents have for summer family time. For children, summer is a time to grow and develop in new ways. Thompson will address the conflicting pressures on summer planning, while suggesting that goals for summer should include relief from the stress and anxiety of school, opportunities to make new friends in a different context, and chances to take (supervised) risks and master new skills.
About Michael Thompson, PhD: Dr. Michael Thompson is a clinical psychologist, author, and school consultant. He has worked in schools for 50 years, starting out as a middle school teacher and later training as a counselor and psychologist. Now the supervising psychologist for the Belmont Hill School (MA), he has worked with more than 700 schools in the US and internationally. Thompson is the author or co-author of nine books. His newest book Hopes and Fears: Working with Today’s Independent School Parents, co-written with Rob Evans, was published by the National Association of Independent Schools in February 2021 and the second edition was released in 2024.
* You must register for the event by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the event. *
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
