Stress Busting Solutions for Parents: Strategies for a Successful Summer Break

For some parents, summer is a highly anticipated and much welcomed time as they look forward to more carefree days.  For others, it can evoke anxiety and worries about kids being bored, siblings getting along, and finding the right camps to assure child care. This year, follow these success strategies to help you and your family make this summer one to remember

Expect an adjustment period. Be prepared for kids to have mixed emotions about the transition to summer. Good change is still change, which all kids struggle with to some extent.

Maintain your schedule. While you may not be able to replicate the structure of school, it helps to maintain a daily schedule as much as possible. Try and stick to regular bedtimes and meal times. This will also help ease the transition when it’s time to return to school.

Hold family meetings. Family meetings can provide an opportunity for kids to share their feelings. Kids also love having input into making summer plans, which makes them feel more valued and teaches them about compromise.

Try not to over schedule. Camps and other structured activities are important parts of summer, but kids also need down time. Children benefit from learning how to cope with feeling bored and finding ways to entertain themselves. Free time to play fosters imagination and initiative and helps kids figure out what they like to do.

Schedule family time and quiet time. In addition to planning activities with your children, we all need quiet time. Independent activities for kids can be extremely beneficial. Parents are human too and need to prioritize their own self-care. It takes only a few minutes to breathe deeply, step outside, take in nature, or meditate.

As you plan for an enjoyable summer with your family, remember that kids don’t remember every activity or event they did, but they will remember how they felt.