Stress Free Summer Schedules (continued)

Pencil in some family fun. Make sure that you take some time to enjoy each other’s company without the pressures of the school year. Some ideas include taking a family vacation, to going to the beach or having a picnic in the park, to attending community events such as free concerts or fireworks.

Make time for rest and relaxation. Although you do want your child to be active and engaged during the summer, it is easy to over schedule. Whether you are working or not, you need a break, too, from coordinating everyone’s schedules and activities. Take the first and last week of summer off for both yourself and your child, and just relax, sleep in, and hang out at home.

Don’t forget about school! Make sure you find out if your child’s school expects or recommends any academic preparation for the upcoming school year. Even in elementary grades, many schools have reading lists of books that students can read over the summer, and you should encourage your child to do this. In older grades, your child might be required to do some schoolwork. Many teachers are in their classrooms at some point over the summer, and it might be a good idea to take your child to visit his new teacher and classroom. Also, try to find out ahead of time what books or supplies will be needed in the fall so you can get a head start on that back to school shopping!