Summer has reached the Wade house! Boy, we really limped and crawled our way through those final few weeks of the school year. Last Wednesday I had nothing to pack in my son’s lunch except almonds and potato chips. His Highness had to make an emergency mercy trip to the grocery store, then dash to the school to add a few more items to his lunchbox.
Somehow, some way, I got my manuscript turned in on schedule and the kids all navigated their year-end events and assignments. We’re DONE with homework and alarm clocks for the next two months. DONE! And I couldn’t be happier.
This is a picture I snapped of my niece, face down asleep in the sand at the beach. This image pretty much sums up the way I felt the final month my kids were in school.
On the other hand, I’ve been a mother long enough to know that summer comes with its own set of challenges. Namely, the challenge of having kids underfoot constantly. Kids eat and drink a lot. They trail mess like raccoons trail their tails. They complain. They want to be entertained. They fuss and fight with each another.
So I asked my readers for their best summertime survival tips, plus added a few of my own. Here they are…
1. Use the Library. Most library systems have summer reading programs that offer prizes and incentives to children. Many also provide story times, or children’s programs (like singers, magicians, puppeteers), or crafts. Kids can check out and bring home stacks of books, DVDs, and books on tape. FREE!
2. Sleep Late. At our house the person who sleeps the latest is the ‘Sleeping Champion’ for the day. When they walk into the living room, they receive applause and congratulations. This positive reinforcement has encouraged all the kids to sleep later. Sleeping in is, hands down, my favorite part of summer. My kids know that daddy can handle whatever needs handling before 8:30 on summer mornings.
My three, with their seven cousins.
3. Membership to a community pool = worth the cost.
4. Time with cousins. My kids are crazy about their cousins. One of my sisters lives a 5 hour drive from us. The other a 3 hour plane flight. But I make the effort to travel to see them or host them in my home every summer so that my kids can have days and days to run with their cousins.
5. FOB time each day. One of my readers came up with the term FOB time which stands for ‘feet on bed’ time. Several moms I know, including her, expect their kids to spend a part of every day having quiet time, without the involvement of an electronic screen.
6. Vacation Bible School.
7. Crafts. Kids love ’em. Pinterest, of course, is chock full of great craft ideas for the over-achievers among us. I even have a ‘Things to do With Kids’ board, though I’ve yet to attempt any of the cute ideas assembled there. My best crafting idea came to me courtesy of my friend and fellow author Courtney Walsh. She’s put together an online art camp for kids 5 and up! The class includes five videos of Courtney teaching the five projects to the kids step by step. Moms only have to provide the items on the supply list! Plus, your child or grandchild or little nephew can watch the sessions whenever they want. You could save them for rainy days or do them all in one week. (Early registration price is $22, then it’ll go up to $28 after June 17). For more details, go here. 
8. Cheap movies/bowling/ice skating. Many theaters and amusement spots offer summertime deals certain days of the week.
9. Resign as Kid Entertainer. Encourage kids to learn the skill of using their imagination and entertaining themselves! Lisa told me that she has her kids, “make a list of 10 things they enjoy doing. At least 5 of those things need to be independent activities! The first time they tell me, ‘I’m bored’ I send them to the list to pick out an activity. The second time they say it in the same day, I have a job for them to do. Sure cut down on those dreaded words!”
10. Picnics. Same food from the pantry. New location. Way more fun.
11. A fridge full of popsicles and a shelf stocked with brownie mix and lemonade mix for when friends come over to play.
12. Chore Assignments. Vonda said, “Each kid has a daily checklist here, which I put in a dollar store picture frame to use with a dry erase marker for re-use. Quiet time, helping with mowing, weeding, laundry, cleaning room are all on there, and sometimes sports and instrument practice. When we all pitch in, we can all have more fun.” One of my friends has two daughters, ages 12 and 16. She bought two ‘baking for teens’ cookbooks and has made it her goal have her girls bake one dish per week this summer.
What would you add to this list? I’d love to hear your advice, tips, and/or summertime memories!
Viva summer!
Becky Wade
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LOL Sleeping Champion for the day. That’s hysterical — though it might come back and bite you when they hit their teenage years. 🙂
Love all your ideas for summer sanity. I’d add in mandatory shared reading in a hammock time. My daughter remembers all the books we hammock read together through the years. And don’t forget fort building on rainy days when every pillow and blanket and piece of furniture is used to build a fortress and then you picnic inside. And the ongoing puzzle table. And free museum and art gallery days. And the neighbourhood wading pool…ours has hired teens to do crafts and games with the kids as well…and it’s all free. Can you tell I was a caregiver for years? Summer was my busiest time because not only did I have the babies and toddlers but all the school-age kids were home as well. Oy.
I love your wonderful suggestions, Kav! (Especially the ‘shared reading’ in the hammock). Thank you!
I’m pursuing #6, VBS this week! I’m helping out in a 4th grade class, so I’ll be back around 12:30 or so to reply to comments. Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
I love the sleeping champion. Somehow my kids find the energy to get up at 6 in the summer when during the school year I have to drag them out of bed at 8.
Another lifesaver we have is finding them meaningful employment. We have a lot of family around, and I make sure they know that the kids are available for chores, yard work, babysitting, etc. After an afternoon of cleaning Papa’s stock trailer, my 12 yo is happy to come home, wash up and rest at his own house. Even the 8 yo is spending time at auntie’s to help with the toddler after auntie had a new baby. I guess that counts as time with cousins, too. 🙂
It’s great to see you here, Regina! Meaningful employment — yes please. Great idea. I’m all for it!
I so needed these ideas!!! Today is the last day of school for my 7 year old, and while we are excited about summer break, I’m not looking forward to the constant need for entertainment or tv watching. I love #2 and #9. We also set a goal to make it to the beach at least twice a week this summer- we live in San Diego and need to take advantage of why the cost of living is so high… 🙂
I’ll be in San Diego next week! I have family there. I wouldn’t mind hitting the beach myself while in your neck of the woods. We might visit Coronado this time out….
Great ideas, Becky – – I especially like the “time with cousins” idea. 🙂
A “homemade” puppet show can be fun (of course, it depends on the ages of the kiddos – – but various ages can participate). The kids can decide on the story (or make one up), then create puppets (can be very simple) to act out the show.
Besides reading books and putting together puzzles, one activity I LOVED doing with my kiddos when they were little was blowing bubbles – – especially on a breezy summer day. And it’s a very cheap activity too – – the bubble liquid and wand inside isn’t costly at all. 😉
Reading all of these suggestions makes me eager to have grandkiddos one day (now that my children are in their 20s)!
Patti Jo, won’t it be fun to have another shot at all these fun activities with your grandkids one day? Bubbles are ideal to have on hand, I agree. And super inexpensive.
Hi Becky,
Even though I have my kids underfoot all year long (since I homeschool), I still find summers a challenge! The kids have so much more free time which often equals more time to bicker or complain or be bored. I’m finding that even though technically I have more time to work this summer (since I’m not teaching), I’m struggling more to get all my work done without the usual routine of the school year. (Plus having the kitchen remodel project has been a distraction too!) I love all of your ideas! Thank you for sharing them! 🙂