School’s out for summer! Sing it!
For school-aged children, this is one of the happiest times of the year. However, for parents, it may be a different emotion.
So, how do moms and dads survive the next few months with the kids? Fear not, for we have some helpful advice below.
5 Summer Survival Tips for Parents
1. Develop a Summer Routine and Calendar of Activities to Stay Organized
Once children are home for summer, the everyday routine that goes along with the school year is out the window. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep the kids on some sort of routine that will help you and your family stay organized. One great idea we found is to buy a dry erase board and map out all of your family activities for each day. You can use different color markers for each family member so that everyone can clearly see what is ahead for the day. This will also help prevent the kids from constantly asking you about what they are doing all day.
2. Stock Up on Arts & Crafts and Save Money by Buying in Bulk
Rather than buying art supplies for individual projects, stock up on materials like construction paper, coloring books, crayons, and stickers, etc. This way, if there is any downtime or a rainy day, you can break out the storage bins and declare arts and crafts time. Also, map out a larger art project that the kiddos can work on throughout the summer when they have nothing else to do.
3. Give Rewards for Summer Reading and Good Behavior
Keeping the kids in learning mode during the summer can be a tough task. However, make sure they stay on track with a summer reading program and reward them for their efforts. Set up a bargaining system where the more pages they read, the more TV time they get at night. This is also a good tactic to make sure they maintain good behavior all summer long.
4. Set Up Happy Hour Play Dates
Rather than divide and conquer during the summer, it might be best to unite and conquer! One way to do that is to set up some Happy Hour play dates where parents and children can have the best of both worlds. This is a perfect tip for summer afternoons and evenings, where moms and dads can get together and chat while watching their children play outside. When there are more adults to help keep watch, everyone can take turns rather than parents having to be on guard at all times.
5. Take a Few Day Trips and Enjoy Family Time Outside Your Home
One thing to avoid this summer is a case of cabin fever. Even if you are not going on a full vacation, make sure you and your family plan a few day trips to take advantage of these warm weather months. You can also check out local events in your area to see if there are any family-friendly activities you might want to check out.
Regardless of your game plan for Summer, we at Hirschfeld Apartment Homes in Maryland hope you have a safe and fun time!
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