Houston, TX
Personalized home organization
Entrepreneur, mom, & wife
Summer is a great time to relax, have fun, and spend quality time with your kids. However, if you’re not careful, it can also be a time of chaos and stress. That’s why it’s important to plan ahead and make the most of the summer months.
I have noticed preschool programs and day cares have summer options. It’s easy to keep your kids in the same environment that they’re used to. But once they get into elementary school, you have to get creative!
The first thing I do is figure out what is offered. Look into different camps and find out what works best for your schedule. Do you need full day because you work? Look for that. Are you good with half day? Find those options. Thinking about what you need is a good starting point for finding camps that work with your schedule.
Once you figure out what camps and childcare options work best for you, look at when you don’t have childcare. Those are great weeks to travel. We typically plan something the week of 4th of July and at the beginning of August. Those are times we don’t have camps for the kids and work well for our work schedules.
When planning a trip, involve your kids in the process and let them help choose the destination or activities. This will give them a sense of ownership and excitement about the trip. For young kids and elementary age, it helps to give them choices. I like to include two options that I’d be happy with and let them pick. Then, they are invested in what we’re doing and everyone has a better time!
When planning trips, I like to add in buffer days if possible. When we come home, there’s laundry to be done and the kids normally need some downtime. I like to leave a day if I can that the kids can rest post travel and I get can all our stuff put away and reset.
Another important aspect of planning for summer is blocking off time to get ready for school. While it may seem like school is a long way off in the summer, it’s important to start preparing early. This can include buying school supplies, shopping for clothes, and reviewing material from the previous school year. By taking care of these tasks during the summer months, you can reduce stress and make the transition back to school smoother.
I like to take time in July to review all of this and take care of things now. I review important dates and get them in my calendar. I make sure we have backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, etc. and order what we need now. This way, when we get to the week before school, we’re not scrambling.
Then, when it comes to the week before school, I like to block out time to get ready. Have your kids been sleeping in over the summer? Start to get them up earlier so they’re ready to be on school time. Think through all your routines. Does anything need to change? For elementary school and older kids, talk to them about their goals for the school year – whether academic, social or otherwise. This can help them think through what they want to focus on this year.
Also, think through your routine, what needs to change for you? I think about the start of the school year as a great time to set new goals for myself. The new school year feels so much like a new year for me!
After you think through your summer, figure out how you’re going to plan all of this. I live by my digital calendar, so I put all the dates in there. Currently, I have camps blocked off, trips blocked off, notes when I need more childcare, days blocked off to focus on back to school and notes on how our routines will change. We have one starting a new school with his brother in August!
Are you nervous about summer with the changing schedules? Do you need help with that? Contact us for a virtual routines and systems session. In a systems session, we talk through your unique situation and home. When and where are the best place for systems? What is bothering you about your routines right now? Reach out below and we can help!
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Wildely Organized 2024
Based in Houston, TX, Wildely Organized offers compassionate, professional in-home organization services that empower families to live functional lives in a space they love.
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