10 Summer Survival Tips for Moms

Family barbecues and summer nights are already here. Kids have been cheering for this momentous occasion for months. With it still being fresh, moms everywhere are feeling a little relief from the stress the school year brings with homework assignments, projects, and those early morning wrestling matches to make it to school before the tardy bell rings. As the newness of school being out and no assignments having to be completed wears off, a new project begins to arise….2 months with kids who are now easily bored and occasional ornery. Yep, you know exactly what I am talking about. I have heard the word ‘bored’ so many times, I have lost count. It is summer, why should I have to be worried about math assignments any more?

As a mother of 3 (luckily my youngest can’t talk about being bored yet), I have come up with my 10 favorite tips to survive the hot and humid, as well as long some days, summer. I am not saying these will save you, but it will hopefully keep you in a state of sanity so that you to can survive.

1. Maintain a schedule. Yea, we are still working on this one. It takes a bit of adjusting around the house once my 2 older kids are back home. My youngest is not used to all the distractions that interfere with her naps. A schedule will give you and your kids a sense of normalcy. I mean, they are a part of a schedule for almost 10 months of the year. I am not talking about a strict schedule with every event possible packed in to keep every second of the day filled. What I am saying is keep a routine….breakfast when they wake up, lunch around the same time each day, maybe a snack time, and a similar bedtime routine as during the school year. I find that I let them stay up a tad bit later during the summer, but not by much.
2. Quiet Time. This is so important to the kids and you. A time to unwind and just disconnect for a little bit. If your kids don’t take naps, this just gives them a little time to relax and you to RELAX! The summer is going to get really long without these times to sit back and chill. Quiet time could be the kids coloring, reading a book, watching a movie, or even a small amount of screen time (we approve ABC Mouse during this screen time).
3. Get out the house. Go somewhere. I usually consider myself a hermit. I dread getting out because it means I have to wrangle 3 kids up and then chase them around, especially my son. No relaxing for this momma. In all honesty, it does feel good once I make the move. It is just the prep work that gets me a little anxious. It is good to enjoy a different scenery….kids can engage with other kids and you can socialize with others who are over the age of 10. Believe me, this is a good thing. My hermit tendency has me having to relearn how to communicate with those my own age whenever I venture out of my shell.
4. Enjoy outside. There is something about being outside during the summer. It just brings those warm fuzzies like a warm hot chocolate brings during those chilly wintry days (the few ones we get down here in Louisiana). Of course I am a sunscreen advocate. Get outside, play in the sprinkler, sit under a shady tree, enjoy a sno ball. Just get outside.
5. Momma-Free Time. Yep, I said it. You got to give yourself some ME time at some point. We as mothers are constantly caring for our family that we rarely stop to do something for ourselves, packing our planners full of things for our family. I am guilty of this. Just like those rechargeable batteries, we need a moment to recharge. If we are constantly surrounded by our kids, we can’t allow ourselves to recharge. This is especially true for mothers with no-napping kids. You wake up and are going zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds. So plan that ME time, even if it is to get away to the local Starbucks for a frappe.
6. Plan fun kid-friendly activities. You don’t have to have a syllabus for each and everyday, but do take the time to think/plan something fun for the kids. This goes along with the whole schedule concept. The kids will love to see something planned and fun just for them. It can be something as easy as a play dough play time with cookie cutters.
7. Do something different. The summer is the perfect opportunity to try something new. Maybe there is a new art class offered for kids or even a new ice cream stand down the road. Whatever it may be, doing something different will make things more exciting.
8. No-guilt lazy days. There are days where you just have to let it go (maybe more than others). Don’t feel any guilt about these kind of days! It’s good to just take it easy.
9. Chore Chart. If you don’t have one in place already, the summer is a good time to put one in place. It will give your kids some responsibility as well as a bit of a breather for you. I love to incorporate a reward system. Once my kids have earned so many stickers, they can pick out something ‘small’from the store.
10. Have fun. Most importantly, have fun! These 2 months will pass too quickly, and you all will be back to the busy schedule of the school year. The summer is the best time to take advantage of every moment to enjoy each other without those added stressors. The summer will be long some days, you may even be scared of going bald from pulling your hair out, but hopefully these tips will help you make it through with ease!

Happy Summer!