Enjoying the Second Half of Summer Break

 

Well, I can't believe that summer is already half over! It is amazing how time flies, and it is also amazing when you look back and note all of the hard work put into making “fun” happen. With all the prepping and planning to create memorable experiences, it is easy to forget to enjoy it yourself! As parents, you can be busy planning vacations, weekend get-a-ways, pool parties, slumber parties, or just a good ol' get together in the backyard, but how often do you really get to enjoy yourself during these events?  Well it is time to stop and breathe and enjoy these last few weeks. 

                In my line of work, I am always inundated with materials pertaining to children.  I get emails, fliers, faxes, and magazines on a weekly basis, and all of it is filled with articles pertaining to raising children.  “Should your 10 year old watch Pg-13 movies?” or “How to potty train in 10 days!”  However, recently I have been exposed to ideas to bring families closer; fun activities for everyone to enjoy.  I would like to take this time to share those with you.

 In this month’s issue of Parenting magazine, Janene Mascarella suggests that you create a “yes jar.” Every time you are busy and have to tell your child no, you have them (or you help them) write the activity on a piece of a paper and place it in the jar.  Then, when you have spare time you pull the ideas from the jar and enjoy these activities.  You don’t even have to be an expert for this next one; read every night to your child.  Reading a book or two is the best way to close out not only your child’s day but yours as well. 

                Dr. AlanGreene, who is a pediatrician and wrote the best-selling book Raising Baby Green, suggests that you dedicate 7 meals a week to eat with your family.  Dr. Greene continues to clarify in the August 2012 edition of Parenting that “First, I said meals, not dinners. Dinners may work for your family, but for mine the easiest to coordinate hands downs is breakfast.”  Dr. Greene continues by saying that it is important to eat at the dinner table and not around the t.v., and that this is a good way to bond and teach healthy eating habits.

                In addition to family vacations, weekend outings, and other summer activities that will build life long memories, try doing some small projects together.  Find what really interests your children; it could be baking, treasure hunts, exploring nature, researching new ideas, or crafting.  I stumbled across this great website that mails you a “craft box” monthly; www.kiwicrate.com.  The boxes from Kiwi Crate come complete with everything you will need to dive into a craft; they offer a variety of crafts from gardening to dinosaurs.  You can order month by month at your discretion or sign-up for a yearly membership (paying in full and receiving one month free). 

                Lastly, record your summer fun!  Create a family journal writing the adventures you had, or start a scrapbook!  At the beginning of this year my husband and I started a memory jar and we write our 2012 memories on a small piece of paper and place them in a mason jar.  We plan on reading back these memories to each other on New Year’s Eve!  Just some ideas, but the most important thing is to just have fun!