Let’s be honest. Being a parent is a full-time job no matter the season, but we’d all like to recapture some of the carefree feelings and relaxation of summertime.
Our clinicians whole-heartedly agree. In fact, they encourage you to find downtime for you and your entire family to unwind, relax, have fun, be silly and connect with each other. Turns out, downtime is really important to child development, your physical and mental health, nurturing relationships and even your productivity at work.
Put some carefree time back into your summer.
During the school year, your child’s entire day is structured. You might feel the need to schedule every minute of the summer as well and quickly become overwhelmed by both the cost and logistics. Encouraging your child to try new activities is important, but it is more important to have a consistent routine that’s realistic to maintain. Fitting unstructured downtime and free play into each day is essential to both your and your child’s happiness and well-being, so resist the urge to over-schedule their summer. Try these simple tips.
- Tips for enjoying a carefree summer with your children.
- Tips for incorporating free play into your family routine.
Give yourself a timeout.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep cool, calm and collected in the face of a fussy baby, a whiny child that wants to be entertained non-stop or a teenager testing your patience and boundaries. We’ve all had those moments. So next time you’re on the edge of losing it, remember these tips for taking a parental timeout.
Schedule dates with your partner.
Summer can be a lot of fun for kids, but it’s also a lot of work when you’re a parent. Having a strong relationship with your spouse or significant other helps us be more resilient parents, colleagues and people. Be deliberate about fitting in time for each other this summer. Here’s a few tips easy ways to carve out some alone time.
Cross worry off the summer camp packing list.
Sending kids off to summer camp can be emotionally tough on parents, even if it’s not your first time. Although it’s normal to be concerned about your children’s physical and emotional well-being, summer camp shouldn’t be a scary thing for you or your child. When children go to summer camp, they experience some of the greatest maturation of their lives, and often return home stronger, healthier and more independent. If you feel like your fears are getting the best of you, check out these tips on how to manage your worries.
Take some time off.
Vacation days provide us with the type of extended rest our minds and bodies need to stay healthy and for us to function at our very best. Taking time away from work can be a great way to re-connect with our family through recreation and other activities. Learn more about the many great reasons for us to go ahead and use those vacation days we’ve worked so hard to earn.
Need help for your child or teen? Pine Rest provides compassionate, world-class treatment at all care levels for kids.
