Hi Hamaspik Families,

It's always struck me how the end of the year can feel like the reverse of its beginning.

Then, it was all about brand new school supplies, pencils freshly sharpened, notebooks shiny and inviting. Now, the pencils are battered nubs and the notebooks are grimy.

Then there were freshly ironed shirts and pants, the excitement of new beginnings, the dreams of all that could unfold.

Now, those pants have holes in the knees, and some of those dreams are long-buried.

The end of the school year is rarely simple, particularly if you're parenting a child with special needs.

There's relief — the early-morning race to make the school bus, the phone calls from the office, the “stomach-ache” that you know is your child's way of telling you she isn't all that happy in school, are all about to pause.

There's gratitude for the people who helped your child grow this year.

Along with that is a tangle of more difficult stuff: the goal that's still unmet, the therapist you're losing, the quiet ache of another year in which the differences between your child and the neighbor next door — the one who's the exact same age — have only grown.

If your June is a tangle of relief and grief, that makes a lot of sense.

But look again at those battered pencils and worn-out pants. They're proof that they were used by a child who showed up day after day and kept going. Behind every grimy notebook is the word he learned to say, the skill she finally mastered, the wrong-color crayon that didn't end in a meltdown. A hundred small, brave, unmeasured things.

Every year, no matter how it unfolded, deserves a strong ending. Here, we're sharing simple ways you and your child can give the school year a proper goodbye.

Wishing you a gentle close to the year and an easy slide into summer,

Make the Ending Count

The last bell rings, the backpacks get tossed into the back of the closet, and somehow, ten months dissolve into summer overnight.

For our kids, especially the ones who struggle with “out of sight, out of mind,” a year that simply stops can feel unsettling. A little planning turns the ending into a celebration.

Here are a few ways you can do it:

Say thank you together: A verbal child can record a twenty-second video thanking their teacher or aide; a non-verbal child can hold up a colorful “thank you” sign for a photo, or help decorate a card to deliver.

Capture the growth: Take one picture of your child doing something they worked hard on this year — next to the ABC wall they finally mastered, pumping on the swing, holding up a piece of their art. It's a visual “I can do hard things” reminder they can come back to all summer.

Mark the ending: Endings are easier when they're clear. On the last day, do one small thing you've chosen together — a final turn on the playground, a last high-five with the security guard — so the year feels finished rather than simply over.

For more ideas, including a “legacy scrapbook,” a last-day keepsake photo, a letter to Next-Year Me, and gift suggestions for the people who supported your child this year, read the full article.

Quiet Struggles, Real Help

Some struggles are quiet. The woman who feels stuck, uncertain, a little unseen. The child who hovers at the edge of the group, not quite sure how to join in. From the outside, they can look like nothing at all — but you feel the discomfort, for yourself and for your child.

The good news? These things are normal, and they're workable. This summer, Sipuk Clinic is launching two new groups to help.

The Drama Therapy Group for Women uses role-play and drama exercises to build confidence, deepen self-understanding, and strengthen interpersonal skills. It meets every Wednesday afternoon for four weeks.

The new Social Skills Groups, beginning in July, give children a warm place to practice the skills that make social interactions feel less daunting. There’s a boys’ group in Yiddish and a girls’ group in English.

Both meet at Sipuk Clinic, 4102 13th Ave, and are covered by most insurance plans. For more information or to join, call 718-400-9988 ext. 226 or email abelsky@sipuk.org.

We'd love to welcome you.

Final thoughts

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