Ladies, or Gentlemen, whom ever you may be reading this, I want to talk about a few things today if you don't mind. First, I know school is out now and some of you have down time and some will still be working. The kids are out of school now and well, you are going to have to entertain kids. These tips can help wether you are a stay at home mom or a working mom or dad. If you are a working parent and your kids will be staying with someone this summer, maybe you can discuss with the caregivers to help in some of these tips. A caregiver can help implement some of these.
I know summer times is suppose to be a time of relaxation and fun for the kids, but eventually they will get bored if you get wore out of providing endless entertainment day to day. Summer time can also be a good time to maybe establish new routines that can help no only during the summer but also during the upcoming next school year. Once these skills are practiced and become habit, it will make your life so much smoother and less chaotic.
What I'm referring to is: Chores. Yep, chores. Yes, summertime is suppose to be a fun time, but like I said, they are going to get bored and things will start getting chaotic while they are at home. Every summer I see the same thing over and over on social media. Parents post things like, "I'll be glad when school starts back because these kids are driving me crazy!" or "How am I suppose to feed these kids during the summer?" Sadly, we have become a nation too dependent on the school system to raise and educate our children. I'm sorry, but our children's education and care starts in our own homes and is suppose to start with our care and instruction. Personally, it saddens me when I hear people say those things. It's like they don't want to enjoy their kids company and forgot how to take care of them all the sudden. I know it is a little harder especially if you are a working parent and have to pay for childcare during the summer. However, we know year after year that summer time is coming and we should be prepared.
When they get bored and get tired of "being entertained", give them some responsibility. You have the extra hands now, and able bodies, and you can start teaching them and holding them accountable.
On our Homemaking page, (link is in the subheader at the top of the blog page, just click on Homemaking), I discuss raising capable kids. This means teaching kids life skills that will help them when they get older and go into the real world on their own. Part of these skills are chores. You can't follow them out into the real world and do these things for them. Don't handicap your children by always doing things for them all the time, because they grow up with unhealthy habits and no skills to take care of themselves.
So, now is a good time to start practicing and teaching and summer time is a good as a time as any.
A child as young as toddler age can be taught simple chores that are easy for them to do. It want be done perfectly, but as they grow they will perfect the skill. Start with easy things. Make chore time fun, make a game of it, and most of all maybe establish a reward system. It doesn't have to be money, it can be anything like maybe earning screen time or an outing for ice cream or a play date. Toddlers up to Kindergarten age actually love helping and doing whatever your doing. The older a child gets, it may be harder to motivate. This is where accountability come into play. Consequences also. Think of some chores that can be passed down to kids to help you out around the house. Have a family meeting and state that some things are going to change and this is what you are going to do from now on. Then, work on a routing or schedule to do these chores. Maybe morning time during the summer, so that way they might be motivated to hurry and get done so they can have the rest of their day to play. When school starts back and they have mastered doing chores, keep this routine up, but switch it to the times as soon as they get home from school to evenings.
These skills not only teach children responsibility, but help around the home as well. I have alot more tips on this on our Homemaking page. Be sure to check it out. I have cleaning tips that helps moms out also. I talk about Time Management and Organization also.
Keep summertime fun but also educational and helpful to where when school begins, you already have a routine that will flow into the school year and cut down on chaos. If you are working and have a caregiver for your children, maybe see if they can help with this plan. They can always report to you how your children are doing.
There are all kinds of chore charts on Pinterest or internet. These are just a few examples. These charts are not just for kids, but for Keepers of the Home also. Ladies, I would encourage you that if you suffer from not being motivated and struggling to run the home, please check out my page and come up with a system that works for you and your family. Make a chart or a few for yourself and create a schedule.
My next tip is: If you are an overthinker and have 100's of windows open in your brain that it makes you edgy and overly anxious, get you a planner. Yes, a monthly planner. I am an overthinker and I honestly have to write things down and have a mental brain dump every night. In my planner, I write down important dates like birthdays, dr appointments, upcoming events etc, to make sure I'm not forgetting something. I also have a To Do List that helps me stay on track and motivated and focused. There is something about writing something down and then crossing it off that brings me absolute feeling of accomplishment. I have a section for Goals. I have a Menu Plan and Grocery List section. Most of all I have a place to journal daily happenings. I have to have a brain dump before I go to bed to release some of the emotional anxieties of the day. I have a place for Prayer requests and answered prayers. I have found this to help me so much. I got one for my sons girlfriend because she is just like me in this area. It has helped her so much too.
Next thing I have learned is no matter what; make your bed every morning. Yes, MAKE YOUR BED. As soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning, I turn around and make my bed which only takes like 3 minutes. This gives me such a feeling of organization and accomplishment for the day already. Not to mention, it makes the room look clean which gives me a nice cozy feeling. Clutter and mess creates anxiety. It has been proven.
Last thing is: get yourself ready. No matter how badly you want to stay in those pj's, get up, shower or refresh yourself if you showered the night before, get dressed for the day. Yes, I can have lazy days, but they make me feel so much worse and I only have a pj day as a occasional reward. If I get my self ready, it makes me want to face the day and tackle it for some reason. Most of all it boosts my self confidence and self esteem, which in turn motivates me and makes me more functional and productive but most of all, HAPPY.
I hope these ideas have helped you in some way and I hope you can establish some schedules and routines for you and your family that will bring more peace and harmony instead of chaos and anxiety into your home.
