Here we are halfway through June and rapidly approaching the official start of summer, but let’s be honest, many of us kicked off summer that last weekend in May. The weather is warm, pools are open, school is out, and the pressure is on to soak it all up and make and cross off every item on the summer bucket list. Let me let you in on a little secret… it doesn’t have to be.
If you are a parent you may be dreading hearing those crippling words, “I’M BOOORED!!!” … or even worse, maybe you’ve already heard them. Yikes. It is drilled into our heads that we only get so many summers to make memories with our kids, and oftentimes as parents, we feel like we have to fill every moment on the calendar. Let’s face it, we are faced with more options and pressures than ever before: from camps for every special interest you can think of, to epic dream vacations, and the surreal and unbelievable Instagram stories of others. Running through the sprinkler and homemade popsicles from our childhood are distant memories, but that’s just it… they still made for amazing memories!
Here are a few ways we can truly enjoy summertime while taking the pressure off of perfection.
- Maintain a routine. It would be easy to throw the whole schedule away for late nights and sleeping in *fingers crossed*, but it can certainly backfire. Human beings thrive on consistency and children are no exception. By maintaining some semblance of your routine for the majority of the time, you are primed to reduce the risk of overstimulation, exhaustion, and emotional dysregulation for children (and parents!)
- Lean into the boredom. Kids spend from August through May navigating assignments, friendships, extracurricular activities, and full schedules. Summer break is supposed to be exactly that, a BREAK. Taking time to rest is not only important but a necessary part of any journey. By leaning into this time, you are not only allowing for moments of creativity but also modeling healthy behaviors for yourself and your children.
- Make the ordinary, new. Okay, okay, we can only lean into the boredom for so long right? But that doesn’t mean we have to reinvent the wheel and provide nonstop entertainment do we?! No! By taking one ordinary moment each day and putting a little twist on it, we have the power to create a core memory. Turn your dinner into a picnic, movie night into an outdoor show, grab the hose and have a water fight. Ask your kids for ideas and be creative together. The key here is being present with each other to laugh and play and connect.
- Say yes, but not to everything. Vacations, festivals, BBQs, family reunions, art/soccer/drama/STEM/swim camp, concerts… oh my! It’s true that saying “yes” allows for new experiences, however, it is also true that when we say yes to too many activities, we can end up with feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed. Children look to us to manage their social calendars and set appropriate boundaries. No one loves hearing the word no, but by selectively saying yes we prioritize our actual wants and allow for quality over quantity.
Overall the message here is to keep it simple (& silly!); less can truly be more during this busy season. So turn on those sprinklers, bust out the popsicle molds, unplug from Pinterest’s and Instagram’s filtered expectations, and take the pressure off yourself. You’ve got this!
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