travel – Positive Woman Connection

It can be the best of times, and it can be the worst of times. We know it as summertime! As moms and grandmoms, we want to make it the best of times, filled with joyful memories and personalized time with our kids. The temptation is to fill up every moment with activities and day camps. I want to encourage you to embrace space this summer! Allow yourself (and your kids) to breathe and enjoy relaxed, unscheduled time. In the next few weeks, I want to give you some ideas to enjoy summer with a smile on both your face and that of your kids. Today, I want to give you simple ways to launch into summer with your family.

Celebrate the beginning of summer with a family party. I’m not talking about a big bash; I’m just talking about a fun breakfast with the kids to help them get excited about all they have to look forward to during the summer. Prepare the kids’ favorite breakfast and make several posters introducing the season. Here is my suggestion for possible posters you can make using fun colors, stickers, and markers:

Boredom Busters – Ask the kids to come up with activities they can do if they ever begin to feel bored. Teach them that Boredom is in the eye of the beholder and no one ever needs to actually be bored; they just need to think a little more creatively. In fact, I told my kids that the B-word (boredom) was off limits for our home. Talk together about ideas that someone can do when they feel like there is nothing to do. You will all be amazed at the possibilities: sidewalk chalk, bubbles, hopscotch, reading, roller skate, basketball, frisbee, crafts, .

Super Summer Schedule – Create another poster to write out summer daily, weekly, and/or monthly schedules. You may want to have a summer monthly calendar marking the weeks when the kids are at camp, or you are all on a family vacation. You can also plan a loose daily routine with activities or outings in the morning, lunch, and then rest time in the early afternoon. Everyone needs a little downtime – even teens. In our house, we called it FOB (Flat on Bunk). This is a quiet time to relax, read, nap, and simply take it easy. For later in the afternoon, plan a craft, or allow them to watch a movie, or build a fort, or help with dinner. After dinner, what about a family game, or a walk, or simply playing outside before you start your bedtime routine? Keep in mind – kids do better with routines. You don’t have to be hard and fast with your schedule, but you will find your kids are a little more at ease when they know what to expect throughout the day.

Loving Limits – During the summer, you may want to put a few limits on what the kids do. You may need to place a limit on the amount of time spent on computer games, television, or tablets. Talk about what is reasonable and work through some loving limits for the summer. Pray about what is right for your family and lovingly have a conversation about it. Make sure you and your spouse are on the same page. It is helpful for your kids to know the summer expectations up front.

The most important thing you can do to make this summer one of the “best summers ever” is to set the tone in the home with a positive attitude. Stay flexible. Remember what Solomon said, “We can make our plans, but the final result is up to God.” Determine within your own heart that you will enjoy your kids, even if the house isn’t perfect or you don’t get to go on a dream vacation. Summer offers a unique time to build both relationships and memories through spending time together as a family. My desire is to provide simple ways for you to enjoy your kids and make it a fun-filled summer. By the way, be sure to give your kids the gift of your smile throughout the summer days.

Check out my book, The Power of a Positive Mom, for more ideas and encouragement.

It can be the best of times; it can be the worst of times. We know it as summertime. Yes, our schedules are typically less chaotic, but the non-school months force us into heavy-duty togetherness. As a parent or grandparent, how can we make the best of this time of the year? Here are a few ideas to bring a smile to your kids’ faces as well as your own.

Start the summer off with great expectations. Celebrate the start of summer with their favorite breakfast and a joyful welcome. Kids will catch your enthusiasm as you tell them what you are looking forward to during the coming months. Allow them to share what they hope to do while school is out of session as well. Delightfully discuss some house rules as far as screen time and snacks. It’s always a good idea to remind kids of the 3 D’s of discipline: Dishonesty, Disobedience, and Disrespect, letting them know you have great expectations for their behavior.
No more B-word. Oh, the dreaded words, “I’m Bored!” As if the parents are in charge of the child’s entertainment 24/7! Here’s an idea – take a large mason jar and label it “Boredom Busters.” Provide each of your kids with small strips of paper and ask them to stop and think about what they could do if they ever felt the B-word coming to mind. Give them some ideas: you could read a book, do an art project, write a story or a poem, play in the sprinklers, shoot hoops, roller skate, visit a neighbor, cook, play with old Christmas gifts, do a puzzle, etc…Allow the kids to write their own ideas, fold each one up and put it in the jar. Then, if they ever think they are feeling B….. (well, you know), then tell them to go to the jar and pick an idea.
Maintain a daily routine. We all do a little better with structure in our lives. During the summer, create a relaxed routine that combines flexibility with a light schedule. I recommend doing activities, errands, and outings in the morning hours when everyone is fresh and energetic. Make a plan to visit places in your area, such as parks, museums, hiking trails, and kid-friendly spaces. Plan a set time for lunch each day, and then have a little FOB time (Flat on Bunk) for the kids. We all need a little rest from our day and from one another. FOB allows us to rest and regroup for 30-45 minutes. Afternoon is a great time for crafts, screentime, or free-play. A bedtime routine is also important to your kids. Consider bath, brush teeth, devotional, and prayer before lights out.
Choose different themes for each week. Each week, pick a topic, theme, or focus that provides direction to the things you do each day. Consider age-appropriate themes that fit your kids’ interests. What about Animal week, or Science week, or Plants and Flowers week, or Bug week, or Bird week, or Space week? You get the idea. Infuse the week with A (activities), B (books), C (crafts), and D (devotionals). Let’s say you are doing Animal Week. For activities, you can go to a zoo, a farm, a wildlife preserve, a pet store, and/or a natural history museum. Go to the library and pick out books specifically about different animals. For crafts, you can make animal ears, create playdough animals, form animals out of foil, or simply do color pages with different animals. Devotionals can include Adam naming the animals, Noah and the ark, Job’s mention of dinos and other animals, or Daniel in the lion’s den.
Keep it simple! Don’t exhaust yourself with a million ideas, just choose a few good ones that work for your family. Let’s not lose sight of the simple fun and memories that can be created by having time together. Running through sprinklers, making forts, playing school, throwing a frisbee, lying outside to observe the clouds or the stars, taking a walk, getting together with friends at a park doing a puzzle, or having movie night together – all provide easy, no-cost, joy-filled fun. Remember, we set the tone for the home. If we choose to find joy in the simple things, our attitude often permeates the home.

Finally, don’t forget the power of conversation. Dinnertime discussions can be an added value and blessing during this slower-paced time of the year. The benefits of our kids experiencing family togetherness are monumental in helping them feel seen and heard. Let’s make the most of this summer season and use this space to build memories and create connectedness as a family. Let’s stay positive and grateful for this time together. Happy possibilities abound!