Tips for a Better Summer Vacation

Summer vacation can be particularly daunting for parents. We all want to give our kids a great summer to remember while also helping them to learn valuable life skills so the break isn’t education-free. But when parents are juggling family and work and a variety of other obligation, how can you make it work with as few headaches as possible?

Here are a few tips for you to take into summer for more fun, greater education, and less stress:

Set Some Summer Structure. We hear this a lot—that kids thrive on structure and routine. And it’s true. Children do better when they can anticipate what’s next and look forward to activities in their day. Every day does not need to be amazing! Just create a general guideline for your summer days. For a lot of families that means a weekday and a weekend schedule. While you’re at it, be sure to schedule physical activity early in the day, and always include some free time for less-structured fun.

Set Some Summer Goals. Think about your goals in terms of life skills and school skills—what things would you like to teach your children over the summer? Make a list of the lessons you want to teach, and how you’d like to teach them. Then grab your calendar and mark all existing plans you can think of—like relatives visiting, birthday parties, trips, etc. Then you can fit your summer goal activities into the calendar and existing schedule.

Whatever plans you make with your kids this summer, try to maintain a balance of fun, learning, quiet time and social time for the whole family. And remember our Bella Life Photography to help you capture your amazing moments!