Summer planning - Embrace the mess

A few tips to help you through the long summer “holidays”:

1. PLAN AHEAD (and stay flexible at the same time) – Feeling in control really helps parents and children alike, so make a schedule with activities, and put it on a big board on the wall. But leave room for adjustments, based on everyone's mood!!

2. The “activities” should mostly be REGULAR things (going to the beach, the pool, have ice-cream, do some arts and crafts, downtime) and a few “extraordinary” (like: going to a zoo, a waterpark or the lunapark).

3. Encourage your kids to BE INVOLVED in the planning of the summer: Brainstorm with them, and ask them about the things they would love to do.

4. EMBRACE THE MESS: Just acknowledge the fact that everything’s gonna be messier, and there will be more sweets, more screens and probably more tantrums.

5. SELF-CARE - Don't forget you also need to recharge!

6. STAY CONNECTED with other parents to organize playdates, or get-togethers as families. It is not only fun for the kids, but also gives you support and connection.

7. FAMILY TIME - Emphasize how grateful you are to spend time as a family, and try to make every moment count! Organize a movie night, a dinner we all cook together, a pic-nic at sunset at the beach….

   
   

Remember soon this will all be over, just a few summers to go…. and you’ll have to beg your teenagers to spend time with you! Believe me, I’m there already….