With spring in the air, parents know for sure that summer is right around the corner; with your kids out of school during the summer months, that can make for a much fuller house than you're used to during the rest of the year. While it's fun taking vacations and making memories as a family during the warmer months, it can also feel overwhelming. After all, your job doesn't stop during the summer, extracurriculars abound, and you've still got your pets to tend to and your private life. Let's look at some tips that can make managing your whole house this summer a little easier.
Planning Ahead
You still have a couple of months before the school year ends, so it's best now to plan ahead. If it's in your family budget, investing in toys - video game systems, outdoor activities, and sensory bins - that can keep your children busy while working or running a household is essential to staying sane. If you're not working from home, you obviously should be planning ahead for childcare. Grandparents, daycares, camps, and nannies are all excellent options for summer child care, and the direction you go will depend on your kid's ages and personality types. But, just as practice makes perfect, so does planning, so plan accordingly.
Everybody Relax!
With so much going on during the summer, it's easy for you to feel overwhelmed - and when parents are overwhelmed, the whole household can feel it. On top of feeling it, sometimes those feelings of stress can trickle down to children, even pets. Have a plan in place to deal with feelings like this for the entire household - from CBD chews for dogs or breathing techniques for your children - you want to make sure everyone is at peace. When things start feeling frazzled, that's not good for anyone's emotional wellbeing. Remember, as the parent, it's your job to have the emotional maturity and foresight to try and keep the stress levels at bay, so everyone has a happy and healthy summer.
Get Out Of Town
Studies have shown that those who take regular vacations are at a significantly lower risk of stroke or cardiovascular disease than their non-vacationing counterparts. Holidays have a positive impact on your physical well-being and mental health. Try to plan at least one family vacation this year to make memories that will last a lifetime and health benefits for a lifetime too! You may be the type of parent that buys your children all the toys their heart desires, but in the end, it's the experiences you share with them they will remember the most. So, prioritize vacation budgeting over frivolous spending on toys this summer.
Eating The Fruits Of The Season
We all know the adage "you are what you eat." While we want to keep that in mind year-round to keep ourselves and our children as healthy as possible - summertime makes it easy to consume healthy fruits and vegetables. Everything delicious is in season during the summer months, so not only is it more affordable, it's at peak freshness and taste. Visit the local farmers market with your children and get them involved in the grocery shopping and food prep. When you're making fun foods like fruit kebabs or veggie plates, even a young toddler can get involved in the meal prep. Doing all of these things can ignite a passion for eating healthy for a lifetime, which is a gift you can give your children that will keep on giving.
Maintaining Routines
From daily routines to sleep schedules, you still want to maintain your kid's sense of normalcy to the best of your ability. Endless studies have shown that consistency and routine are critical to childhood development, security, and mental health. While you know there will be some late nights and, of course, vacations that will interrupt schedules, keep them on the same track they're on when they're in school. This will benefit the children and you as the parent.
Summer is a great time to reconnect as a family and make memories that all will treasure for a lifetime. It's also a great time to get your kids involved in healthy physical extracurriculars or learn new creative skills like painting or gardening. Even though much of it is fun and the weather is ideal, things can still overwhelm even the most organized of us. So, use the above-mentioned ways to keep things more manageable this summer, and enjoying the season will be a breeze!
