Surviving Summer Vacation With Kids At Home From School

For working parents, the summer break can present a bit of a logistical nightmare, as it means that the kids will need attention for a period of up to 3 months. Additionally, if you have more than one child, they will now be around each other more time in a given day which gives more room for them getting tired of each other which then brings on more bickering between them.  You might think that it would be easier for families who have one parent that stays home on a full-time basis but having the kids around all day can upset the routine that has been put in place during the school months. Kids are used to a break from their parents and siblings during the day and stay at home parent are used to having time to do errands and clean the house.  Being a stay at home parent is extremely difficult, as there is an expectation that “they don’t have a job” so sitting at home and watching TV all day is easy.   For anyone who has stayed home with their kids know, this is NOT the case.  Stay at home parents don’t get a break during the summer, which can lead to frustration, depression, and anger when they don’t feel like they are getting help from the working parent.  This can lead to parents feeling as though they need to survive the summer, but there are things that you can do to make things easier on both you and your kids.

The first thing that you can to do is plan your week in advance. If you don’t have a calendar, get one, and start to think about some of the things that you could do with your children during their time off. It’s a whole lot tougher to think of activities when you are trying to plan right after you wake up in the morning when everyone wants to play video games, or worse, when they are already in a full bickering match.  If you know what you are going to be doing in advance, everyone can be on the same page and ready to go right from the start.  Research, in general (not just on this issue), shows that having structure and knowing what to expect helps the entire family function at a healthier level.

This does not mean that you have to fill up every single day with things for the kids to do. Leave blank spaces on the calendar and let your kids know that those are the days when they need to find a way to entertain themselves. All you need to do is make sure that they have a safe environment to play in (depending on the age, this will vary), and also check in every now and again to see what they are up to. Showing an interest in their activities is much more proactive than only paying attention when they claim to be bored.

You also need to make sure that there are days set aside for you to have alone time during those summer breaks. Try to organize play dates where the kids go to a friend’s house or enroll them in classes or activities that will get them out of the house and give you some time to yourself. You can use this time to catch up on errands that may have been missed or just to kick back and relax for a few hours on your own. If you have nowhere to send them, arrange for your partner to take over for a few hours per week, giving you the chance to go out shopping or for a coffee with friends.  If you come back refreshed and happy, your partner will most likely be motivated to keep helping. Also don’t forget to schedule time WITH your partner.

The key to surviving the summer break as a parent is to have a plan in place before they begin. The more organized you are, the less chance there will be of stress becoming a factor. It’s tough to parent effectively when you are constantly on edge and listening to your kids tell you that they are bored. Keep them busy and stimulated, and you will find that you might even enjoy the summer months. Try googling “free things to do with kids” to get some ideas.