6 strategies to maintain sanity with kids home this summer
Excitement has sprung in the air as the school year comes to conclusion and parents prepare for a long, hot summer at home, but this excitement may somewhat dwindle as memories of summers past flow through your psyche. You recall the numerous times, following a frustrating day, when you asked yourself, "How do teachers manage with a whole classroom of kids like mine?"
Maintaining control of yourself as well as your children during the chaotic moments of summer will help you all eagerly anticipate and enjoy the days spent together.
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I have outlined six strategies to boost your mental health, increase connection with friends, and bring a sense of order and calm to the challenging days of parenting over the summer break.
1. Promote and encourage nap times. Nap times offer children the opportunity to recover much needed rest, and they provide you moments of peace. If your child no longer naps, insist on an afternoon of quiet time in their room. Psychologists suggest that time allocated to reading, solving puzzles, or engaging in activities alone restores children’s sense of security and creativity with the added benefit of teaching children how to self-soothe and manage alone time.
2. Hire a babysitter for two hours one or two days a week. Children react to parents’ feelings of overload and stress. Be certain you allow yourself alone time by giving yourself permission to get out of the house. Scheduling a sitter two or three times a week benefits you and your child. Your child thrives when you take care of yourself.
3. Plan a weekly outdoor activity. Plan to schedule one outdoor activity per week with your child. Discuss these opportunities and make plans. Engage each child in the selection of activities, granting them the chance to be a part of the lessons field trips teach. If the opportunity arises, allow your children to bring a friend to deepen friendships that can be lost over the summer.
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4. Accommodate weekly parents’ night out. When parents share the childcare load with other parents, the possibility to accommodate a parents’ night out increases. Four sets of parents willing to trade off supervision for an evening grants you one evening with the children and three additional nights free by rotating the children with friends. This arrangement minimizes the expense of childcare and connects you with other families, an important component to raising children.
5. Investigate day camps. Numerous day camps offer rich experiences for your children. They present your children with wonderful exposure to continued learning and give you a break to catch up on work or other tasks requiring your attention.
6. When all else fails, call grandma. If you live in close proximity to your parents, call them to arrange a play date. Most grandparents wish to embrace every moment possible with their grandchildren and hunger to feel needed in your child’s life. Staying with grandparents reinforces family values and character to your child. Regardless of your time constraints, it’s worth the trip to have someone you trust loving and caring for your children.
The most powerful way to remain calm is to feel connected with others who relate to your experience. It’s beneficial to your mental health to utilize these strategies to free up time to share with your friends.
Every parent recognizes the joys of parenting as well as the challenges – even if they do not outwardly admit it.
READ MORE BY MARY JO: 5 ways family dinners unite families
The summer should never be so congested that you abandon your own self-care. Your children’s well-being depends on your ability to restore calm and peace within yourself.