March 28, 2024

Parents Guide to Summer Survival by Juli Shulem

As another school year comes to a close,  summer months bring changes in schedules. For a smooth transition to summer, begin your planning now. Even though kids are on vacation from school, life and responsibilities of parents don’t enjoy a vacation. Achieve a balance of fun and work by planning early and implementing four actions now!

Get YOUR chores done before school is out. Take advantage of the last few weeks of the school year to get things done for yourself that are best done without having children in tow. Make a list of those items that are easier to do sooner versus later and those which can be done with your family around.

Confirm your summer daily schedule before summer begins. Plan the activities your children and family will be participating in: camps, get-aways, at-home activities. How will your children be occupied? They don’t necessarily have to participate in scheduled activities every waking moment of every day – yet there should be some structure to the days. Before summer officially begins, call a family meeting. Ask all family members to sit down and share what they would like to do with their days. Perhaps new life skills can be developed, for example the children could learn about cooking dinners, since they won’t have homework to contend with. Follow through with a written and posted schedule, so all family members are aware of who is doing what, where and when.

Plan non-planned time. Be sure to allow for adequate “down time” as students work hard over the course of the school year and most will enjoy sleeping in for a change. If a family vacation is in the plan, try not to make it an endurance run – take everyone’s needs into concern. Ask each family member what they would like to do and aim to accommodate each request as best as possible.

Post a written list of activities. For example, heading to the local farmers market, attending a festival in your local park or participating in an activity at your library. Make a chart of “things you can do this summer” for the children and place it within view so when they come to you after a week whining “I’m bored” you can direct them toward the chart to pick an activity.

Planning ahead for the summer, will make the time spent more rewarding and less stressful for all family members!

Contributed by Juli Shulem (jshulem@gmail.com/805-964-2389), Efficiency/ ADHD Coach. www.julishulem.com, Efficiency Expert since 1984, and author of the eBook, Order! A Logical Approach to an Organized Way of Life, www.getordernow.com