How To Parent Like A Boss Over The Summer

As the days grow longer and warmer, our children begin to get more and more excited as they look forward to summer break! Who wouldn’t be excited about warm weather, fun activities, exciting trips, and sleeping in?  Some parents share their child’s enthusiasm, but for other parents, the thought of those long summer days without the distraction and schedule of school leaves them feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Despite how much you might love your children and love spending time with them, parenting 24/7 is hard. It’s okay to think that, feel that, and even say that out loud. Parenting is hard. See our tips below on making the summer more enjoyable and less stressful:

Maintain as much structure and routine as you can

Kids (and adults) thrive in a structured environment. Just because it’s summer does not mean that your children get a free-for-all when it comes to rules and expectations (despite their arguments that they should). To enjoy the fun activities, trips, treats, and adventures, it is going to be important that some form of routine and structure is in place. Your home does not have to be run like a military boot camp, but some basic routines, rules, and expectations should be in place. To keep things simple, remember: food, sleep, shelter, and schedules.

Let your kids be kids but also have some independence

Children crave independence. It’s part of normal childhood development – kids want to make their own choices. It can be easy to step in and make choices for them, but then they may become reliant on the parent to make the simplest of decisions. Summer break is a great time to begin allowing your child to practice more autonomy in multiple areas of their life. Some examples may be choosing: the clothes they wear, the food they eat (from a menu), the activities they do that day, or their chore of the week. Once your child becomes a bit more mature, engage them in conversation about their choices for family vacations, dinner menus, and their input into fair rules/consequences. Note, this might be a challenging area for parents who like to have more control over things. It may take a bit of getting used to, but by putting some thought into it, you can likely find some areas you are comfortable allowing your child to begin to make their own choices. Sit down and make a list of ideas and take some time to think about which ones you are comfortable with.

Manage your expectations and the expectations of your children

While having to keep up with the proverbial Jones’ summer plans, do not forget the purpose of summer break.  It is simply a break! A break from the busy school year so that children get the opportunity to be kids and have a little fun. It is a time for you to make memories as a family, whether that is around the dinner table or the world.  Remind yourself and your children that you do not have to go anywhere to have fun or make a memory. Simplify your expectations. Plan activities that you know are within your abilities as a family and stick to those. The memories that will stick with your children are the feelings that they experience: the excitement of exploring a new place or their backyard, the anticipation of a family vacation or a day out, and knowing that they are surrounded by a loving family.

If you are anxious about summer or how to let go of your anxieties and expectations about your children’s upcoming time off, we have several therapists who specialize in helping families. Click here to view our therapists and their unique specialties, or call today for more information on how we can help you and your family have the best summer break ever.