Summertime & the Livin' is Easy...Isn't It?! Tips for Surviving Summer with Kids in Tow

Summer can be a bittersweet time for many families. Changes in routine when school ends mean more unsupervised downtime and lack of structure for kids and more stressful feelings over childcare situations for parents. It's not unusual to feel overwhelmed and resentful at a time when you are "supposed" to be enjoying the freedom that summertime promises to offer.

Here are 3 tips on surviving summer with kids in tow:

1. Keep some sense of structure and routine. We ALL need this, not just our kids. I love this study that exemplifies why boundaries, expectations and structure are not just necessary, they actually help our kids thrive! This also helps parents keep some sense of control over their days and sets expectations for what kids can expect over the next couple of months of freedom.

2. Don't over-schedule your structure. This may seem counter-intuitive to the first tip, but you can have structure AND balance. You do not need to take your kids to every exciting event or activity that comes up this summer. While we may love taking our kids on exciting excursions, the truth is that sometimes that takes a lot of time, energy, and money. It's okay if the best experiences are summer days when kids play in the yard, run in the sprinkler, or just hang out at home. Not every day of break has to be a full-on production. Allow some space to just play this summer, as this article suggests.

3. Give yourself some downtime. If your schedule changes with your kids in the summer and you're going to be spending more time with them than you normally do, you might need some extra space too. Swap out babysitting with a friend or neighbor or ask your partner to take over and go do something alone. Make sure you build in some ways to take care of yourself so that you can take care of everyone else.

We hope these tips on surviving summer help ease you into a routine that is fun and enjoyable for all!