Your SDOH Manager: A Series on Transparency in a Judgement-Free Zone
When I reflect on my childhood summers, our days out of school seemed average. I grew up with parents who were blue-collar workers, so summer breaks from school did not always equate to summer vacations. Summer for me mainly consisted of watching my younger sister, nieces, nephews, and maybe spending some time outside at the park around the corner. When the adults could find time away from work, backyard barbeques and big birthday parties in tiny apartments of family members, I adored were also a summer norm.
As an adult, I really miss the innocence of those summers. My ignorance and naivete as a child made my days seem so carefree. Now as a wife and mother of four, I realize just how stressful the summertime felt for my parents. The summertime highlights all the struggles you get to cover up during the school year for the 8 to 9 hours your children are away from your reality.
The Summer Reality
“What reality?” This is the question that the outsider would ask. The question of the person who has it all together. The question from the person who doesn’t work 12-hour shifts to make ends meet. As a 90’s baby, I remember the price of a bag of chips being 25 cents for a small bag and $1 for a big bag. Those hotdogs were less than $1 for 10 hotdogs and the same for the bread. You could get a 40-pack of juices for $5 or less. Water balloons and tiny water guns were inexpensive, and cakes would cost you $20 or less.
Today, homes are battling food insecurity in a way they may not have seen growing up. Resources are becoming even more scarce, and hiding your family’s financial struggles from the children becomes harder. The summertime can burn a hole into the fabric of a home, revealing just how little money a family has for essentials. Clothes are no longer fitting because all the children are going through growth spurts. You still have to work, but summer camps run at $150 a week per child, and you have 6 children that need to be looked after.
For a family receiving SNAP benefits, the summertime can still prove brutal because you’re burning through your benefits in two weeks by feeding your kids 3 meals a day instead of 1. For families not receiving benefits and still struggling, summer days make you want to give up hope between the heat and the cost of basic survival. For three months, parents miss the comfort that free school breakfast and lunch provided. Free summer programs offer the same benefits, but they fill up so fast that some parents are still left to figure out the hard parts.
Take Advantage of Summer Resources
The summers can be difficult, but parents do not fret. Stick to the skills and the nurturing you already provide. Keep a list of your local food pantries and stay on top of summer meal giveaways in your school district. Lean on your village for support for any of your basic needs. Create a barter system that works for you and other parents in your community. Check with your local parks for summer activities for children or enroll your babies in summer school if that means keeping them fed and safe. Look for diaper foundations, nearby thrift stores, and churches to request help with hygiene needs. You can even ask your doctor’s office about resources available through the clinic and in your area. While looking for resources can become stressful, don’t do it alone. Ask for help, and make sure that you don’t let these summertime troubles burn you out.
Tyrasia Starghill
Tyrasia Starghill is the MyCHN Social Determinants of Health Program Manager. Her mission and goals align with MyCHN to help close health care equity gaps. Tyrasia is a two time graduate of Texas Southern University with a background in Social Work and Sociology. She has co-authored on African American female sisterhood research with the Sankofa Research Institute and has volunteered across a multitude of initiatives. Her past work includes case management, research, partnership engagement, and healthcare advocacy. Tyrasia is a wife, mother of 4, and puts family first in all that she does. Her hobbies include unlimited outdoor activities, shopping, watching crime shows, cooking, and spending quality with people she loves.
