Surviving Summer Vacation

You know what it’s like – kids are desperate to start the summer holidays, you’re anxious to reduce the clutter in your calendar, everyone’s looking forward to the warm weather, and then suddenly, after one week of summer bliss, the whine sets in:

“Mom, I’m SO BORED!”

This, from children with a room so bulging with activities, games, toys, crafts, and who knows what all else, that they can’t keep it cleaned or organized.

However, even with all of this, suddenly, you’re expected to be the entertainment committee. You need to have wonderfully stimulating activities for your kids, up your sleeve, ready at a moment’s notice – but you, too, are needing a break. What’s a mother to do?

Well, here are some tips:

1. Let them be bored. By jumping in with solutions all the time, you are not allowing your children to use their own creativity. Ignore the bored whine if you can, and simply suggest that they go look through their rooms for something to do. If that doesn’t work, give them chores whenever they say they’re bored.

2. Have a planned activity each day that stimulates their creativity. Do prepare one activity a day – supplies for a water fight, an art project or science experiment, a hike, etc. Do something that gets them out of the everyday, and triggers their mind to think of something different or unusual so that they can stimulate their own creativity.

3. Get them outside. Send them outside every morning, before the “dangerous sun times” and make them stay there until lunch. There are playgrounds, bicycles, sports and games etc. that can keep them going for hours if they are bored enough to find something to do. The sunshine will also stimulate “happy hormones” which will have them (and you!) feeling much better about life. If it’s raining, dress them appropriately, and send them out for at least an hour. They can do puddle jumping, rescue earth worms, make mud pies – the list is endless.

4. Give them a routine. Create a daily, loose-but-structured routine that gives each day some framework. Include chores, scheduled activities (meals, screen time, outdoor play, a planned activity, etc.) Don’t over schedule or you’ll be doing them (and yourself!) a disservice. Kids’ lives are so over-booked these days that they never have time for dreaming or self-discovery.

5. Restrict Screen Time. Try and keep “mindless entertainment via a screen” to an absolute minimum. Let kids schedule one TV show plus one hour for games each day, and then let them use the rest for other things.

For many of you, one word comes to mind when you think about summer…vacation! But for parents, traveling with small children can feel somewhat overwhelming. But a family vacation is special, worth the effort, and very manageable if you take some precautions to ensure a smooth trip.

The essentials:

• Begin planning for your trip early, with a list of all the things you can’t live without – documents, medication, etc., and don’t wait until the last minute to get these.

Now, the fun part! Getting to your destination without killing each other. Don’t worry! It really is possible.

Here are some ideas to keep those short attention spans occupied.

• Backpacks aren’t just for carting books and assignments to and from school. It’s actually my number one packing tool when we are traveling with the kids. It’s a piece of luggage they can carry by themselves without difficulty, and a place for them to keep their toys and games (instead of in mommy’s over-stuffed purse!). They come with many compartments, so help them organize their backpack in a way that will be easy for them to find what they want.

• Now that my kids are older, I let them pack their own backpacks with iPods, hand-held games, books, etc. But be careful with expensive electronics!

• For younger kids, fill them with colors, coloring books, modeling clay, puzzles, army men, and small stuffed animals or dolls. Take three or four new “surprises” for them to open periodically throughout the trip. Nothing expensive. Just something fun that will entertain for an hour or so.

• Also, pack plenty of snacks. Hungry kids are cranky kids, and airport snacks are expensive! A small travel pillow is also good in the backpack for naps.

• If you’re driving to your destination, plan places to stop along the way to break up the monotony of a long car trip. Pack plenty of videos if you have a TV in your car and clear juices or water only (for the inevitable spills!). The stop doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just thirty minutes on a McDonald’s playground can ease the tension in those little bodies. Keep a bag in the front seat with things you will need along the way, so you don’t end up pulling over to dig something out of the trunk. Planning ahead is essential!

• Lastly, there are great travel guides for kids. Check your local bookstore for books and travel companions for kids so that they can learn about their destination on the way.

Remember, making a happy memory is the most important aspect of a family vacation. Do what you can to keep the stress-levels low for everyone. Mom, the last thing you want is for your child to grow up and say, “Remember that trip to the beach when Mom was so cranky???” It might take a little work, but we can do it! With careful planning and a good attitude, family vacations can be a wonderful addition to your summer break!