Summer Break… or Summer Slide?
Every year, I hear the same thing from parents:
“My child just needs a break.”
And they do.
Summer should be a time for:
Relaxation
Fun
Less pressure
But here’s what often happens…
By August, students aren’t just relaxed.
They’re out of rhythm.
🧠 The Executive Function Piece
Over the summer, students don’t just lose academic skills.
They lose access to the systems that help them use those skills.
Executive function is use-dependent.
If we don’t use it, we lose access to it.
So in September, it’s not that your child can’t do the work. It’s that:
Getting started feels harder
Staying organized feels overwhelming
Tasks take longer
What This Can Look Like (Without Making Summer “School”)
The good news?
Executive function can be practiced in real life—in ways that feel natural and even fun.
✈️ Going on a trip?
Have your child read about the destination and help plan activities🐶 Getting a new puppy?
Have them learn about training and create a simple plan🧱 Love Legos or crafts?
Practice following directions, planning, and problem-solving📅 Daily routines
Let them plan parts of their day and reflect on what worked
This is how executive function grows—through real-life use, not worksheets.
I’ll never forget reading his psychological report for the first time—on paper, his IQ fell between below average and average, the kind of label that can quietly shape expectations. We worked together during the school year, but in the summer, we focused on building executive functions in a more engaging, meaningful way. One summer, he had just gotten a puppy, so we turned a dog training book into our learning tool—building reading comprehension by pulling out key steps, then creating a plan to teach the puppy tricks, developing routines, tracking what worked, and adjusting when it didn’t. Without realizing it, he was strengthening planning, organization, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and regulation through something that mattered to him. He went on to push himself through high school with AP and dual enrollment courses, and today he’s graduated from college and is in the workforce. He was never what was written on the paper—and that’s the part of executive function growth we can’t afford to miss.
What About Academics?
One of the biggest areas that slips is reading comprehension.
And this matters because reading relies heavily on executive function:
Working memory
Attention
Flexibility
That’s why our tutors are trained in executive function—not just content.
A Simple Summer Plan
You don’t need to overdo it.
We often recommend:
Time for camps and downtime
PLUS
6–9 coaching or tutoring sessions over the summer
Just enough to keep skills active without burnout.
👉 Want Support This Summer?
Summer gives us the space to focus on what actually drives student success: executive function.
We offer: • Executive Function Coaching • EF-informed Tutoring (because content + EF = real progress) • Flexible, targeted summer options
visit www.connectedpathwayscoaching.com/summer-at-cpc
Fall registration is now open, with early registration savings and priority scheduling.
📩 Email support@cpccoaching.com to learn more.
Warmly,
Crista
Owner and Founder of Connected Pathways Coaching & Academy
