But while I understand the challenges a long vacation presents, I also think summer schedules can be awesome for at-home parents…if we just change our perspective a bit. Here are a few reasons why summer schedules can be awesome for parents:
1) Relaxed mornings mean more time for bonding over breakfast.
Let’s face it, our school-year breakfasts are rushed, sloppy things, and with three separate school start times, there’s no real opportunity for us to all eat together on a school-day morning. But we can make up for that June through August with pajama-clad eggs-bacon-toast-and-juice extravaganzas. Or, I can hang around the kitchen and have a leisurely chat with each child as he wanders in for a bowl of cereal.
2) Having kids around all the time helps remind us of our priorities.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the idea that we all need to be Doing Something Productive every minute of the day. But when I occasionally give in to the child who’s twitching with boredom, put aside the computer or housework for a few hours, and head to the pool or park, I’m always glad I did. The slowness and togetherness of summer has a way of reminding me that this time is short, and that deadlines and dishes can usually wait.
3) Flexible schedules allow us to create our own ideal routines.
During the school year I’m pretty much slave to the 6:45 AM wake-up time and the 3:30 rush, when kids start getting home from school. But during the summer I can take better advantage of my body’s natural inclination to stay up (and sleep in) later, work in the mid-afternoon when my brain tends to be firing rapidly rather than spend that time shuffling around school papers, and plan dinner for 7 PM – which is when I really want to eat.
The trick to enjoying, rather than deploring, the long lazy days of summer? Keeping expectations in check. We don’t have to cram every moment of the day with enriching activities for our kids. The best life-long memories most often don’t happen from a plan.
It’s OK to let those bored kids kick dejectedly around the house for hours, figuring out how to entertain themselves, while you get your Adult Stuff done. And it’s also OK for you to kick off work on a Wednesday afternoon and take off for the beach. We only get 18 summers with each child: let’s not wish them away.
A little bit of boredom often leads to new games or re-discovered old toys around here. And that last line you wrote really hit home.
Krystal, same here – I’ve been amazed by the games my kids have come up with when they’re forced to.
Loved this post….when we don’t plan, I’m always amazed at the inventive games and uses for things the children come up with. Last line a real zinger! Thank you for your blog and for this post especially! As a home school mom I’m always pretty fried by June and sometimes you just need permission to relax. I did anyway!
Permission to relax GRANTED
Not to get overly sentimental but can I just say ……I love you! Ok maybe that was a little much but I am 8 months pregnant with my 5 th child. On a serious note: I truly appreciate your blog. Whenever I need to be brought back to reality I visit your site. Whether I am looking for something specific or not, I always find something that inspires me. This entry reminded me that some of my best memories as a child were the spontaneous family moments. I realize that I have great kids and we need to make more beautiful memories while we have the ability and time to do so. Thank you !
Tamara, thank YOU! This comment made my day. Congratulations on your soon-to-arrive baby….five is a great number, though I realize I’m a bit biased
So glad to have you here.
Love that last sentence. Everything has its pros and cons—when my 3yo is in school, I get a ton of time to do stuff around the house and errands outside. But that also means we’re packing lunches, doing drop offs and pick ups, and waking him up at a certain time. The opposite is true when he’s home—there’s not really much time to do stuff with a kid in tow, but it’s nice to hit the beach and have him wake up whenever he wants to
Hi Meagan! I’ve been checking in with your blog since Kelle Hampton featured you and love your posts on life and its realistic expectations! I really enjoyed your post on finding time to shower and battling inertia! So many times I find myself sitting in the kitchen dreading the dishwasher and laundry but when I have a busier day I simply do the chores quickly, no mulling over, and off I go! Will check in soon again- I’m trying to comment on blogs I like lately:) I blog at http://www.reemfaruqi.com
Everything you said is so true! I am a SAHM with 2 kids and am currently loving the lazy mornings, having no schedules, and the opportunities to see friends and do things we normally don’t have time to. We still have 5 weeks left of summer vacation, but I am optimistic we will still feel this way at the end of August.