Establish your Summer Routine

School’s out for summer! The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, the days are longer, and the well-established routine of the school year has gone out the window.  
 In the summer, routine often falls by the wayside. Children wake up with the sun, which often comes up very early, and go to sleep with the sun, which often sets very late. There are likely no clear-cut mealtimes between activities, and there may not even be clear-cut activities to do each day. What's a family to do? 
 It’s certainly easier to follow an established schedule than it is to create that schedule for ourselves, and a routine of some sort creates order that is important to everyone. It's important to keep a routine during stressful times and it's essential for families to follow routine to maintain order. Throughout the school year, we followed the school routine by getting up at a certain time, eating lunch at a certain time, and getting home at a certain time. 
 I suggest creating and following a new routine. It is easier said than done. All routines should be consistent and predictable. They should be discussed and decided upon with your children. Research has consistently shown that routines can play an important role in mental health to aid people with stress management and anxiety and help us maintain good daily habits. Setting a routine and expectation for behavior can help you and your child have a smoother more productive experience together for the summer. 
 To add to the routine, I also suggest creating a priority list of activities to make sure that things on every child's bucket list can be accomplished during the summer. These activities can vary and do not always require money but may take some of your time.  
 Here are a couple of links that you might find helpful: https://printableparents.com/how-to-create-a-summer-routine-for-kids-free-printable/  https://simply-well-balanced.com/free-printable-summer-schedules-kids/ 
 As a mom of a recent high school graduate, I am reminded that we only get 8-10 summers to spend having fun with our school aged children. Take advantage of the fun-filled free time you may have with them and create wonderful memories that you will all treasure forever. ​

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