There are no two words that parents dread more than “summer vacation.” The vision of weeks and weeks rolling by having to find something, anything to entertain the kids as you try and fit in work and home around everyone. It’s not easy and there if you’re on a budget, then holiday clubs are going to be off-limits so it really boils down to you and what you can do to keep everyone from going crazy.
We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we can offer one or two solutions that might just help make those weeks fly be and also include some much-needed time for yourself.
Safety in Numbers
Nothing makes for a more enjoyable afternoon than the company of other parents in the same boat. It doesn’t matter if your day job is working for one of the biggest Defense Base Act law firms, when you’re in the park you’re just mom or dad.
Get organized with other parents to arrange picnics, scavenger hunts and an afternoon of sports. Anything that you and your children can look forward to and will wear them out ahead of a good night’s sleep.
You’ll also be able to swap a parent or carer out for the afternoon, picking up the slack and looking after their children while giving them some alone time to relax or get work done. Give everyone a regular break and the weeks will fly by.
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Free Activities
Not all organized activities need to be costly and with a little searching you’ll find a craft morning here and a sports day there that is low-cost. Very often community centres and churches will hold events to suit everyone’s budget so grab hold of your community newsletter or head online for some information.
Create your own! Take a look online at your local art gallery and chances are, if they don’t already have a downloadable resource for summer, then you’ll be able to come up with your own with relatively little trouble. Just take a look at what’s being exhibited and create a few questions and some space for some drawing for your budding artists.
You can apply this idea to other indoor spaces too such as museums.
Get a Good Mix
Going to the park every day is going to be boring for them and for you so try and mix it up a little. Why not make this holiday the summer you learn a new skill alongside your kids? Grab a pair of inline skates and hit the local skate park. Show off your skills and get fit at the same time.
There’s also nothing wrong with a little downtime so finding some time and space to create a snug reading den or setting aside an afternoon for arts and crafts is a great way to beat boredom, especially if a sunny day turns into a rainy one.
And if reading is very much for you or your child then head down to your local library. Very often you’ll find that they have a summer reading challenge of some description to be a part of and that’s going to go a long way in helping to keep those reading skills up outside of school and provide an incentive for doing so.
Ask For Help
If you’re fortunate enough to have friends and family in close proximity and you really need an afternoon to get some work or jobs done around the home, then don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most relatives know only too well how hard it can be to get everything done while the kids are off school and will be happy to take them off your hands for a day or maybe more regularly.
There are times when you may even need to call on a paid childminder and again don’t feel bad. Sometimes, particularly if you’re on your own, having an extra pair of hands is exactly what you need to make sure your household is running smoothly. If you have to invest in that pair of hands, then so be it, you’re only human and you can only do so much.
Being a parent is great, being a working parent has its challenges and the summer holidays certainly fall into that category. However, with some careful planning and the support of family and friends you will be able to make it through the other side relatively unscathed. Get organised, get dates in the diary and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you really feel you need it.
