As a parent, it can be difficult to adjust to a new routine with your kids. Summertime can really throw routines out of sorts, but it could be a really cool summer if you get ahead of things and focus on some planning. If you are a parent, you can take charge of the interruption in the routine and set some boundaries all while making sure this is the coolest summer your kid ever had. Follow these tips for managing summer at home with the kids.
Decide On The Plan
Summer can be a great break for both parent and child alike, you can sleep in a little longer, hang up your carpool status, and just enjoy some freedom. However, it’s important that even in the summer you maintain some structure for the kids. For example, about 30% of parents planned on sending their kids to summer camp in 2020 according to a survey in Parents Magazine.
Camps are a great opportunity for kids to have a fun time with other kids. There are camps that focus on specific things like improving basketball skills or science and math skills. There are also camps that cater to children that are handicapped or that have autism. About one out of 44 children are diagnosed on the autism spectrum according to the CDC.
If you are not sending the kids to camp this summer, it’s a good idea to come up with few-day trip plans or other travel plans to spend time together. You also want to be sure if you are a working parent that you arrange childcare for the kids as soon as possible. Slots fill up fast. Choose a daycare that offers fun summertime activities to ensure the kids are having a good time this summer.
Get the House Ready For the Summer Break
About a week before the kids get out of school, prepare your home for a fun summer. Break out the swim gear, floats, inflatable pool, and sprinklers. This is also a great time to do some home maintenance. A hot house is not a fun house for the summer, especially not for the parent of the kids. Have your AC checked just to make sure it’s ready for the season. According to the experts, if your AC is 10 years old or older you can save between 20-40% on energy costs by replacing it with a newer energy-efficient model. If you replace your system you can stop badgering the kids to turn the lights off to save energy.
Plan On Having Fun Outdoors
One of the best things about summer is all the things that a parent can do with their kids outdoors. You don’t need a huge yard to pitch a tent and gaze at the stars. There are plenty of parent and kid-friendly things to do for free, like strolling through your neighborhood park, hitting up the community pool, driving to a nearby fishing hole, and fishing. Museums are almost free. There are plenty of ways a parent can keep a child busy and engaged all summer long that will not break the bank.
Schedule time for family picnics, hikes, and some fun in the sun. Spend rainy days indoors crafting or doing homemade science experiments. The summer is the perfect time for a parent to really get to know their kids and spend quality time together. Once the stress of school is out the door, kids tend to be more interested in just sitting around with a parent and talking.
Plan a cool summer for your kids and you can make it happen. Some of the best memories for a child and their parent are made during the lazy days of summer when the world seems to move a little slower and there’s a lot more free time. Enjoy this summer with your children and be the parent that is remembered for making great summertime memories.
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