As July comes to an end, this could be a good time to check in with our youths. With the excitement of school ending and summer holidays over, they could get bored, idle and make poor choices.

Summer is also a time when we start bending the rules — more sleepovers, staying out late, going on trips without parents — and it might be a good time to re-evaluate boundaries to reduce potential arguments.

Checking in with our youths can be as easy as asking how the summer is going for them and if there is anything they would like to do before summer ends. An activity that can be included is to create a summer bucket list of things they would like to do. Challenge them to create one that has activities that do not cost money or a local list so it is close to home and more easily accessible. The bucket list can be something the family does together that would increase family time.

Most likely our youths want to spend as much time as they can with their friends. While it’s a great time for them to create memories and build bonds with their peers, it also is important for them to understand there is still a responsibility at home or in the community. Creating consistent responsibility could be having chores around the house, finding a summer job or volunteering. These activities can help teenagers develop their identities, increased autonomy, achieve new accomplishments, develop work experience, and become more independent. This also helps the transition from summer into the school year much easier.

The summer can bring a sense of independence for youths, and it can become easy to bend the rules. August is a good time to check in, see how these rules are working both for youths and adults and adjust if necessary. Remember to set clear boundaries ahead of time.

For example, establish a curfew early on, how many sleepovers per week, money or allowance, and what needs to be done around the house before friends can come over.

Summer also brings a variety of new friends who might have not been in the picture before school ended. Talk to your teenager about healthy relationships and what to do if an uncomfortable situation arises. Create ways for your teenager to be able to contact you if they need help discreetly. Brainstorm with them about other healthy adults in your life that could be supportive and make sure they have their phone numbers.

Throughout summer we spend a lot of time running our families around between friends’ houses, camps, activities, or family vacations, but how much quality time are you spending with them? It is easy as parents to get into the routine of work and coordinating the summer schedule, but making an effort to spend family time at home or in your town could create memories and stronger relationships. Weekday picnics, ice cream Sundays, game nights or family dinner could be ways to integrate family time. Enjoying these small moments are what your family will remember and treasure.

As summer ends, and about two weeks before school, it might be time to think about returning to the school schedule again. This can help ease teenagers back into a routine and prevent issues that may come up in the days around school starting. Typically teenagers are used to staying up all night or sleeping in, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep.

Getting back into sleep routine is crucial for teenagers because it helps to reduce stress, make healthier decisions, and reduce potential arguments when school starts.

Courtney Oliver is a licensed mental health and chemical dependency Counselor with Bainbridge Youth Services, which provides community youth (ages 12-21) with no-cost, confidential and high quality professional counseling. Visit www.askBYS.org for more information.