Tips for Establishing a Summertime Routine
Welcome SUMMER! I’m not sure about you, but for me when I hear summer I hear BREAK TIME!! Your kids need that break too. A break from the everyday normal schedule. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any sort of routine. We know children thrive on consistency and structure. Let’s clarify what structure is… This looks different for everyone, and that’s ok! For some structure might be a set of routine things that need to happen everyday, daily chores, play dates, daycare, free time, the list goes on. The idea is that whatever structure you have for your children it’s one that works for your child(children). Now being the teacher I am, I HAVE to put in a plug for remembering that learning doesn’t stop just because there isn’t school. Summer is a great time to explore some fun ways to learn through discovery, research, and science.
It's fun to change the “normal schedule” for a new one. I’m going to share with you how we change things up in my home. And some generic rules to help you follow if you are feeling stuck.
The First 1-2 Weeks: Let Loose!
The first week or two after school we completely let go. We stay up late and sleep in. We watch cartoons with breakfast before any chores and try to stay home and just play at home with neighborhood friends and family. This has an underlying purpose also. After those two weeks I definitely notice behavior changes with my boys. During dinner over that second weekend we talk about how they feel. What changes they’ve noticed. What they like and don’t like about those changes. During this conversation we also talk about what summer things are on their bucket list and what vacations we have planned as a family. Setting goals can help in multiple ways, it can help with just the main idea of setting goals, giving summer purpose, possibly making some dreams come true, and also helping you have something to look forward to and look back on at the end to see how they spent their summer. We make sure that we ALL (parents included) have our family list of things we want to do this summer. We get out the calendar and plan together. Making sure to leave some time for those spontaneous activities that pop up too.
Establish a Routine
Setting a routine for summer definitely helps keep me and my family sane. Again, routines will look so different based on your family needs and situations. Our routine has worked for us for years. With a few modifications based on my boys' ages. We always wake up with the consistency of making beds, eating breakfast and brushing teeth. Those things remain no matter what time of year it is in our home. After that we set the routine together. We talk about what things would be good for our brains, body’s, and souls. We try to make sure to do at least one thing for each of those areas a day. My boys have chosen to Read for 20 minutes, play outside or do something active, and draw/paint/meditate before they get to do any sort of electronics. The rest of the day is theirs to do as they please. Because we set goals and made plans as a family early, they know in advance if there’s a special activity coming up and to get ready for.
There are so many great ideas about summer routines/schedules. If it works for your family to have a certain day of the week dedicated for crafts, activities, or outings; that’s GREAT! The most important thing to take away is that you make your children part of that process. Summer is an opportunity for them to set their routine. During the school year it’s pretty much set for you and for them. So let them get creative.
Stay Flexible
The best skill to practice through summer is flexibility. For some children the spontaneous can be terrifying. Create opportunities and a safe place for your children to practice this. To learn how to adapt and mold to the situation and show them how to deal/cope with that sort of stress. Summer is that chance to slow down on some of the skills that you can’t slow down on during the school year. If your child is too young for school this can still apply too!
We hope you have a fantastic and safe rest of your summer. It’s never too late to establish a new routine and more often than not your children will be happy to have some order in their day. To learn more about how to create a daily rhythm/routine check out this post.
