How to Make the Most of Family Time This Summer
During the summer holidays, it’s easy to become quickly overwhelmed with keeping your children busy and entertained so that they never complain of boredom. If you adopt the right mindset, summer can be a time for relaxation and rest.
Un-Schedule Your Summer
Pressure from school is over, and our busy schedules can become considerably lighter, so why shouldn’t this time be used to refresh and relax, especially if you feel overwhelmed by the school term? With this time, you and your family should take part in activities that you all want to experience in order to spend some quality time together. With that in mind, here are some ways that you can make the most of your quality family time this summer.
In addition to enjoying the summer weather, another great thing to do is to simply unschedule yourselves. Running from one club to another can be the norm when school is in session, but clubs tend to stop during the holidays. Many parents and caregivers feel as though they need to fill these gaps with other activities to keep children occupied, which can burn kids out pretty quickly.
One way to make the most of your summer is to take a break from your usually scheduled calendar. While there are still some things that need to be regimented, you can step away from your calendar for the 6-8 weeks that the kids are off school and just chill out until the busy autumn term returns.
Foraging
I grew up foraging in Sweden and raised my three kids the same way. We’re currently here in Sweden for the summer and the height of the foraging season, something my family truly enjoys. Foraging is the process of gathering wild food resources such as plants, flowers, berries, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and herbs that grow naturally. Depending on where you live, a variety of wild foods grow seasonally and are available for foraging.
Cook Together
When it comes to cooking during the school term, people may rely on convenience and fast food to juggle this chore while they carry out the rest of their commitments. However, summer is the perfect time to encourage kids to help out in the kitchen, get more involved with cooking, and learn new cooking or baking techniques.
Why not sit together, go through recipe books and magazines to find recipes that you’ll all enjoy, and make a recipe book? Then, vow to cook everything in it before heading back to school. Summer is one of the best times of year for fresh produce, so trips to local farm stores or even the supermarket can be fun and educational.
Go Back to Basics
Just 10 years or so ago, summer holidays meant that kids played outside for most of the day, riding their bikes or playing with friends. Now, in this tech age, it is so easy to become caught up in technology, with phones, tablets, and game consoles taking over. These electronics are a great way to stay connected but are also highly distracting, and children can become attached to these devices over time. Make the most of the summer weather by recharging your batteries with simple outdoor activities. Trips to the park, picnics, and simply going for a walk can give you time to chat with one another and enjoy being outdoors and away from the confines of your home.
Do Something New
Thanks to the confines of a busy day, when we have free time, we often find ourselves stuck in a cycle of doing the same things, such as watching TV or going out for a meal. During summer, the sense of time changes, and the scope of activities increases to include pursuits usually relegated to weekends, so use the time and opportunities to do something new. Get out the girls’ designer dresses or the boys’ shirts and pants, and head out for an evening at the theatre, or spend the day volunteering at a local animal shelter — anything you haven’t done before!
For more family summer check out my post about sustainable car trip
