Summer! School is out, schedules are free, and the living is easy. Or is it? Modern life remains hectic even during the hazy days of summer. With a little prep and planning, though, summer can be the way it should be—worry free. Follow these tips for a carefree summer.
Plan Ahead
A stress-free and fun summer begins with preparation and planning. Get out your calendar and block off all the camps, vacations, practices and sports you have scheduled throughout the summer. Make your notations as detailed as possible. I like to have a color for each family member’s activities on my calendar. Once you’ve done this, you can break it down week by week and day by day. Are there days you will need to find a babysitter, or is there a block of days where a day camp would fit in for the kids? If so, get it planned out and on the calendar now, so you don’t find yourself in a frenzy when something unexpected pops up.
Follow a Daily Schedule
While the kids are home from school all summer, keep them on a daily schedule. Kids thrive with routine. We schedule time for breakfast, reading, crafts and play, as well as outside time, free time and chores. I’ve found it helps my daughter to know what’s coming next in her day. I work from home, so it’s nice that she can check the schedule without having to ask me. It also keeps me from hearing the dreaded, “I’m bored,” whining all day.
Consistent Bedtime
Try your best to keep your children’s bedtime and wake-up time consistent each day. Don’t let them stay up all night and sleep all day! We let our kids stay up a half hour to an hour later in the summer, but we don’t vary much more than that. If you do adjust bedtime, make sure the kids still get the same amount of sleep each night.
Make a Bucket List
Every season I like to make bucket lists, and summer is no exception. A few fun things I like to include each year are to make s’mores, catch fireflies, have a lemonade stand, visit the splash pad, go fishing and visit Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. I’ve found if we have a visual list of things to check off, we’re more likely to do that activity. It’s also nice when we have a free day and can’t decide what to do. We just pick something off the list and go! Don’t forget to include some rainy day activities.
Pack Your Car
In the summer, parents can be pulled in a million different directions. The consequence is logging many miles and many hours in their cars. You might be dropping one kid off at camp and taking the others to swim lessons all on the same morning. The best tip I’ve found is to load up my car with all the summer items we might possibly need. I have a large tote packed with sunscreen, bug spray, beach towels, aloe, sunglasses, swim goggles, an umbrella, jackets and of course, snacks. I do this throughout the year when we are in our busiest seasons. It’s nice to have everything we need in one place, so we don’t have to pack a separate bag every time we leave the house.
Stock Healthy Snacks
Being home all day makes it tempting for kids to snack more than normal. To prevent this, keep routine meal times and don’t leave the kitchen a free for all. We like to have bins of healthy snacks they can eat throughout the day, so they stay away from the junk food and sweets. Fresh cut fruit, trail mix, yogurt and cut celery and carrots with peanut butter are all good options to stock up on.
Carpool
Because summertime schedules may change daily, getting kids to activities during the season sometimes is more stressful. Try to lighten your load by carpooling with other families. Take turns driving the kids to day camps and practices. My husband is a teacher, so he’s able to do the majority of the carpooling in the summer, and then in our busiest season, the other families pick up the slack for us.
Get Outside
Take advantage of the season and get outside to enjoy the weather and take in the fresh air every day. There are so many advantages to soaking in the sun: It improves your sleep quality, lifts your mood, lowers blood pressure, and promotes good mental health. I’ve noticed when the kids are having a rough day, just taking them outside improves all our moods. Take a family walk, make a trip to the park, eat dinner on the patio, read a book under a tree or have a picnic on a blanket for lunch.
Join the Fun!
Sometimes all the planning and preparing can leave parents exhausted and left to watch the fun from the outside looking in. Parents deserve to have fun too! This summer, make sure you are completely present and jump in and join the fun with your kids. Nothing will wash away the stress and worry like an impromptu water balloon fight or a good jump in some puddles with your kids. Your inner child will thank you, and the best part is you will be making the best summer memories with your kids.
Regan Lyons is a girl mom and freelance writer. She lives with her husband, Cale, and daughters Atley, 8, and Ensley, 2, in St. Joseph, Mo.