#Schoolholidays

While many might assume that the frantic energy of the holidays ranks as parents’ most challenging season, a growing body of research and recent surveys reveal a different reality—it’s the end of the school year, with its overlapping obligations and the looming, unstructured expanse of summer break, that weighs most heavily on parents’ minds. This pattern, observed in both American and Thai families, holds crucial lessons as societies increasingly recognize the need to support parents and children during transitional periods outside the academic calendar.

A growing body of research shows that the end of the school year, not the holidays, is the peak season for parental stress. The overlap of end-of-year commitments and the long summer break creates a demanding period for families in both the United States and Thailand. This insight emphasizes the need to support parents and children during transitional moments outside the academic calendar.

A recent poll of 2,000 millennial parents in the United States found that nearly one-third report exhaustion as the school year ends, with similar shares noting anxiety and feeling overwhelmed as they balance summer plans with work. The end of year also brings high-ticket childcare costs, making structured summer activities inaccessible for many families. Data suggests day camps can cost between $73 and $87 per day, contributing to unstable routines for children and increased workloads for parents. Research highlights the broader impact of these pressures on family well-being and routines.