Summer is supposed to be a time of long, beautiful days and maximum relaxation. Unfortunately, if you are spending your summer wrangling kids around everyday, things can get a lot less serene and way more stressful. Follow these great tips to figure out how to make summer break with your kids as stress-free as possible.
1. Keep The Commitments To A Minimum
Between birthday parties, local activities, and countless other things, there are a lot of things to do during the summer. But the more you take on the more stressful your summer becomes. When it comes to summertime commitments, you should keep them to a minimum. If your kids already go to day or summer camp, try not to sign them up for tons of other activities and classes as well. This will reduce the running you have to do and allow your family to spend more time together.
2. Participate In Free Activities
Money is a common cause of stress among families, this is especially true during the summer. If you want to keep your kids entertained without having to shell out big bucks, participate in free activities. Sprinklers at your local parks, neighborhood pools, library read-alongs, be sure to keep your eye out on family-friendly activities in your area and take advantage of as many as possible.
3. Designate Chores
If you have school-aged children, going from having them at school all day to having them at home can be a bit difficult at first. You will have more dirty laundry, more used dishes, and more eaten food during the summer when your kids are hanging around the house. One of the best ways to keep your house in order and your stress way down is to designate age-appropriate chores for your kids to every day. This will keep them from getting lazy over the summer and help you out a ton.
4. Create A Loose Schedule
Your kids may resist at first, but getting your family on a summer schedule can be very good for you. Your days don’t have to be tightly planned down to the minute, but setting wake up, meal, nap, and bedtimes will keep things in order over the summer and make the transition back into school days a little less brutal at the end of the season.
5. Don’t Be Afraid To Stay At Home
With tons of activities happening everyday, a lot of families feel the need to be constantly moving. And while we aren’t telling you to stay inside all day every day, you shouldn’t feel bad about being homebodies. Sometimes, the best way to spend your free time is curled up on the couch with your loved ones luxuriating in the blessings of your air conditioner.
6. Take Some Mommy Time
Go out to brunch with your girls every Saturday, enjoy a few extra long baths, indulge in your favorite books. Summertime should be a time of relaxation and fun for everyone, not just the kids. Remember that you deserve a break sometimes and don’t feel guilty about taking one.
7. Find Boredom Busters For The Kids
The more happy, satisfied, and independently busy your kids are, the more stress-free your days will be. Luckily, there are tons of activities out there that will allow your kids to be all of those things right in the comfort of your own home. Head over to Pinterest to find tons of ideas for creating boredom busters for your kids this summer.