If you’re anything like me, right about now the reality is hitting you – Summer. Is. Here.
Truth be told, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with summer. In theory, it’s fantastic – fewer commitments, less stress, and opportunities to travel and enjoy my children. In reality, however, its not all fabulous trips and lazy summer days. It can be discombobulating – I don’t know what day it is. My children get on each other’s nerves, and mine. And getting work done is hard (case in point, I’m writing this blog and it’s almost midnight!).
When I start to feel summer stress, I do well to remember to do these few things:
- Adjust Your Expectations. Expect that things are going to move slower and take longer. Kids are underfoot! Efficiencies that exist when your children are in school may go out the window in the summertime. Allow for this to keep frustration to a minimum.
- Keep A Schedule. As tempting as it is to just go with the flow every day because you can, everyone will do better if you keep to a schedule, even a loose one. A little bit of structure goes a long way.
- But Don’t Be Afraid to Throw the Schedule Out the Window. Some of the best memories are made when you deviate from the norm – stay up super late binge watching Netflix with your teenagers, take an impromptu weekend trip out of town, have ice cream for breakfast. Yes. You can. It’s summer.
- Use Your Village. Friends, family members, babysitters, drivers. Use them! Lean on them and help each other out. You will need it.
- Let Go of the Guilt. You may have to work more than you would like. There may be weeks where you have to put your kids in a camp just because you need a break. It’s ok. Your kids will survive. And oh by the way, they may need a break from you, too.
Enjoy your summer, friends!