How to survive the summer holidays
When the kids are out of school, it’s great because you can spend more time with them. But summer vacations can also be hard. Read tips on how to survive them.
During the summer holidays, children are out of school for a long time. And it’s much harder to keep kids busy for seven weeks than for one.
This article should help you find ways to keep your kids happy and ways to help you occupy them so you can all make it through the school break unscathed!
Plan trips with their friends
Even though one-on-one time with your kids is important, it will be better for everyone if you make plans to see other families during the holidays. It lets the kids keep in touch with their friends outside of school, and it gives the adults a break. Getting together with other parents can give you a break and be very relaxing.
You and the other parents can always take turns watching the kids, so you can all have some time to relax and unwind without them.
See your family
If you live near your family, the school breaks are a great time to spend time with them. It’s especially good if your siblings have kids about the same age as yours. Go to the park and play football or rounders with your family, or make a day of it by having a picnic or barbecue at home.
It can be hard to see grandparents, aunts, and uncles often, so take advantage of this time to make memories with them. If your family live close by, you can take some time to yourself to shop for a new blouse or treat yourself to a trip to the salon.
Just because the kids are off for the summer it doesn’t mean there is no time for you to recoup and relax.
Choose games and activities that teach
There are a lot of games and activities for kids to do these days, and many of them are educational, like science experiments and arts and crafts. Even though it’s fun to stay up late and get up early sometimes, it’s a good idea to do things that will keep their minds active and get their brains working.
There are a lot of ideas and websites that sell things for a wide range of ages online that can help you come up with something.
Get them to lend a hand around the house
Even though kids should enjoy their time off from school, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t help out around the house. Ask them to help out even more than they already do, or if they are old enough, get them to do things like power wash the car, sweep up leaves or cook.
It will take some of the load off your shoulders and teach them new skills at the same time. Many families like to give kids a weekly allowance for doing chores or buy them a small gift at the end of the week to show how much they appreciate their hard work.
Put up a tent in the backyard
If you can’t go on vacation, why not set up a campground in your yard? Put up some bunting and get out the grill to make it a place you and the kids can enjoy. Most kids like camping, so it’s a great way to do something different with them while still being close to home.
Photo by Vitolda Klein
