Summer is the time for …

With its carefree days and lack of schedules, is there anything better than summer? I know for some parents, the thought of long days with no organized activity is a scary one. Don’t let it be. Embrace the freedom. Your kids CAN be bored. It is good for them. You can even plan for the laziness. If you over-schedule, your summer will just feel like a hot autumn. Get everyone excited for the nothingness by making an “Embrace the Freedom To-Do List”.

– Reading aloud with kids of all ages.
– Making family playlists and dancing in the kitchen.
– Daydreaming.
– Doing something special with one kid at a time. Take a walk, wake up for a sunrise, paint a shell, ask questions and listen to the answers.
– Staying up late and sleeping in.
– Pajama days.
– Learning something new — how to yo-yo or juggle, how to do a french braid or a back bend, how to ride a skateboard or sink a 3-pointer … anything that doesn’t require exchange of payment. Need inspiration, think old-school.
– Spending technology free hours or days.
– Keeping a journal.
– Being a family — laughing and loving and living — together.

I am such a better mother in the summer. My yelling and screaming is directly proportional to the business of our schedules. No schedule, no stress, no screaming. I challenge you to plan a no-schedule summer — you won’t regret it.