5 Fresh Ways to Spend Family Time This Summer

Summer is here and the living is easy! The pressure from the school year is over and our schedules are considerably lighter once summer vacation arrives. While this is certainly a welcome change for most overscheduled families, it also means our kids will be home for ten weeks, needing direction and activities to keep them entertained and happy.

This summer, don’t get overwhelmed with the notion of keeping your kids busy so that they won’t complain of boredom or drive you crazy if you can’t be their personal cruise director. Summer can truly be a time for rest and relaxation if you have the right mindset. Mighty Mommy has 5 fresh ways to spend family time this year.

Tip #1: Un-Schedule Your Summer

Besides enjoying the balmy, sunny days that we have here in our beautiful seaside community, my favorite part of summer is not having to hop from one kid activity, sports practice, or other after-school event to another for a glorious two months. It didn’t start out that way, however. When my older kids were in elementary school, I went from a busy school schedule to an even crazier summer schedule because I felt the need to make sure my kids had a lot of things to keep them occupied. By the third week of vacation, we were all burnt out, and by the time late August rolled around, we couldn’t wait to get back to school.

One way to guarantee an easy-breezy summer is to take a break from scheduled activities. There are certainly things that will need to be regimented—for instance, if your kids attend a summer camp or have a birthday party or playdate with friends here and there. But if you can refrain from filling your calendar with obligations, classes, and other commitments that can wait until the fall, the entire family will benefit from the beautiful concept of just spending time together and chilling out.

See Also:  6 Tip to Transition Kids from School to Summer

Tip #2: Recreate a Family Hot Spot in Your Home

When we scurry from one activity to the next all year long, we don’t often get the chance to sit and enjoy our families in the peace and quiet of our own homes. When we’re rushed, we tend to overlook how we’ve even decorated certain areas of our home. Taking the time to create rooms that are inviting and make us want to spend time together at home can be left on the back burner when we hustle and bustle through our weeks. Now that summer is here and the pace has slowed down, take a good look around your home and see what improvements you can make that would allow for cozier family time.

This can be a project you take on as a family. Last year,...

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