Summer can be a major source of stress for Moms. While we’re bombarded with images of family vacations, lazy days, fresh fruit, and happy smiles on TV and social media, the reality may be completely different. For many moms, summer break is something they dread, but it’s taboo to talk about it negatively. Yet, if we don’t talk about it, we can’t support each other and that’s a recipe for disaster. Let’s explore some of the reasons moms dread summer and ways we can ease the stress.
Too Much Kid Time
We love our kids, but summer can mean being on 100% of the time. We don’t get a break, and we don’t give ourselves a break. We’re now feeling the overwhelming responsibility of running the home and being with our kids all day. We’re often made to feel guilty about not enjoying every minute.
What can we do?
Creating schedules and lists can be a great way to pace the day and give yourself a much-needed break. With your kid, if possible, come up with a list of different activities and responsibilities they can do during the day. Think about things like reading, arts, body movement, and logic puzzles. Maybe you want them to do one chore a day before lunch.
With those ideas, you create a daily or weekly schedule that gives them structure to their day. Print out your schedule and put it in a picture frame. You can cross things off or write on the plastic or glass cover of the frame with dry-erase markers, and then wipe clean at the end of the day without having to recreate the schedule each day.
Make your life easier by creating a list of options for each activity on the schedule. This way, they don’t have to ask you what to do. Simple purchases like sidewalk chalk, hula hoops, puzzles, and coloring books can go a long way. Just be sure that what you have on the list they can do without you and in an area where it is okay if they make a mess.
Summer is Boring
Summer in Phoenix can feel boring as our outdoor options are limited due to the extreme heat. So far, the reports claim that this will be another record-breaking year. Our reality is that we’re going to be inside pretty much all day because it is too hot to go outside.
What can we do?
Try switching your schedule around to take advantage of the time when the sun is not yet roasting. Try getting up early in the morning to ride bikes, play at the park, or go for a walk. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing inside. When the sun goes down, get outside again. We often think of snuggling in and hunkering down during winter, but summer is Phoenix’s time to catch up on movies, do puzzles, and keep the house dark and cool.
Summer & Teenagers
Your kids are too old for camp but not old enough to work? Summer for late tweens and early teens can be really challenging.
What can we do?
Share your teenager with the neighborhood. We can help them create a fun list of things to do or even a mobile summer play kit that they can bring with them. If you want to up their game, get your teen a babysitting certification with the Red Cross. If they don’t want to do it alone, have them buddy up. This not only builds a connection with neighbors, but it is also great to put on their first job application.
Summer is Expensive
Summer camps and classes are a great way to engage your kiddo and give yourself some much-needed alone time, but they are expensive. Many times, the camps don’t run all day, so it is also inconvenient if you need to work or get things done.
What can we do?
Find other families in the neighborhood and create your own camp system. If you get four or five other families who are willing to host the kids on a rotating basis, you can get your summer filled. It’s fun to pick a theme and create activities around it. Kids are less likely to be bored if they are with other kids. It does require you to be “on” for that week or day, but then you get a break on other days or weeks. And, if the families are close by, you are not adding in additional driving and pick-up time. Don’t forget about those neighborhood teenagers – they could be the perfect helper for this type of summer activity.
In what ways do you have to break the stress of summer? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know how it goes if you put any of these ideas into action. Happy summer!
