Summer Tips For Parents
Kids aren’t the only ones excited when school is finally out. The thought of not having to pack lunches in the morning is enough to make me want to celebrate! We’ve always had a lot of plans for the summer – big plans. After a long school year filled with homework, projects, tests, soccer, basketball, dance, ninja classes, baseball and – believe it or not, I could actually continue with that list. You guys know the drill, our lives revolve around our kids’ schedules these days, and frankly I’m exhausted.
This summer I want to take the time to really just enjoy my family. I want to stay on the beach long after the lifeguards have gone home. I want to go out for ice cream in our pajamas. I want to watch movies on the beach and say OK when they ask, “Just five more minutes?” They say the days are long but the years are short. My oldest daughter will be 12 in the fall. The days of her wanting to sit on the beach with me are limited, and I intend to soak up every last second.
Here are some tips to help you have an unplanned but successful summer, too.
Let perfect go. Perfect to some might mean being in the best camp or on the most elite sailing team. Let it go! It’s OK to have a summer that’s just OK. You don’t need to have every second planned out, and stop trying to constantly entertain your kids. Let them be bored. That is when their imagination begins!
Let them help. The best way to get the kids to help out is to let them know right off the bat what is expected. Give them a list of things they need to accomplish each morning before you leave the house. This list can include things such as make your bed, brush your teeth, pick two snacks for the beach, etc. This takes the stress off you to have to keep reminding them, and hopefully takes a few jobs off of your plate.
Get outside. Even on the days you don’t make it to the beach, spend some time outside. Take a bike ride, a nature walk, save a few turtles and, if it’s a rainy day, jump in a few puddles! When I was young and it would flood on the island, I would take a blow-up boat down Third Avenue to my friend’s house 10 blocks away. I’d pick her up and we would “sail” back to my house. That is one of my favorite memories.
Unplug. Aren’t you tired of knowing what is happening with everyone, every single second of the day? I know that I’m tired of hearing my kids document to me what their friends are doing – Every. Single. Second. Kids these days don’t have to start off the school year telling everyone what they did over the summer. Everyone already knows! Turn it off and teach your kids how to enjoy what they are doing and to be in the moment without worrying about everyone else.
Read. Oh how I miss the cute little bookshop on the corner. I can remember riding my bike down to 96th Street when the latest Sweet Valley High book was coming in. Encourage your children to read. We are lucky to have two excellent libraries on Seven Mile Beach. Take them to the library and let them pick out a few books. The next time they say they are bored, remind them they can always read!
Include them when making plans. With three kids, there is always one who doesn’t want to do what the other two want to do. This is when we negotiate. We do what one person wants first and the other thing next, with no complaints! Kids are much more cooperative when they feel like they have input in the plans.
Don’t skip the routine completely. Sometimes the child having a fit about everything isn’t being bad, they’re just beyond exhausted. If you skip naptime today, make sure you get it in tomorrow. In the summer, we are always busy –it’s hot and tiring, and kids need more sleep than they would ever admit. A well-rested child is a lot more fun to be around than a tired and cranky one.
Don’t skip date night. Parents you need to have fun, too! Find time to do something without the kids. Plan different date nights – go to a movie, play miniature golf, or take a walk on the beach. It doesn’t have to be long and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Just do something together so you can remember why you love summer so much, too.
Take lots of pictures. My last tip for the summer is to take pictures whenever you think of it. Summer memories are simply the best, and you can never take too many pictures!
