The Summer of Yes

When I became a Stay at Home Mom summer was the hardest time of the year for me to navigate.  I would go out on a limb, in true transparency, and say the first few were pretty miserable.  Over the year I got better at navigating summer time with the kids by knowing that I need to make a plan in the spring for how we will fill our days.  

The first summer I stayed home with them they were really too little to enjoy a lot of the things my friends were doing with their kids. Peyton was a runner at the time and it was hard for me to handle he and Paxton alone.  The second summer I was pregnant and that’s all I really have to say about that.  Pregnant.  In the summer.  In south Louisiana.

The first summer after Porter was born I started to see the light.  I hired a mother’s helper and she would come once or twice a week to watch the kids while I caught up on things around the house or just took a second to catch my breath.  Since then summers have become easier and easier which has meant more fun for all of us.  Everyone can swim, no one is taking naps anymore, it really has become a time of the year I look forward too so much.  

The Summer of YES

The Summer of Yes started a few years ago.  I love having a plan for the summer but I wanted the kids to have input too.  It is their summer after all.  We came up with a few things to get them in on planning out the summer fun.  

Summer Lists

This is the first summer that I have let the kids make their own lists.  I created the categories and they filled in the lists with their choices.

I was very specific to tell them that we may not be able to do ALL of the things they had on their lists but that we would try.  Whatever we don’t finish in the summer will spill over into the fall or maybe into the first break from school.

• Place to visit
• Thing to eat
• Water Game to play
• Something they want to learn
• People to visit
• Something I want
• People at my birthday
• Snacks I want to try
• Games I want to play
• Chores I want to do

Schedule- Weekly and Daily:

So I personally do better on a schedule.  Just for myself I plan out my gym time, social events and work at least a week in advance.  Because of this I do schedules with the kids a lot too because it helps me to stay on track and it also helps them to keep up with the days of the week.

Weekly:

• Monday: Mom working morning // Afternoon Activity
• Tuesday: Pool Fun or Park Fun
• Wednesday: Stay home day // Mom working Afternoon
• Thursday: Mom working morning // Pool Day // Blaum Day
• Friday: Fieldtrip Friday

Daily: (before tv or ipad)

• Make bed, dress and brush teeth
• Complete your daily chore
• Read 10 minutes
• Do an activity, worksheet or draw a picture
• Play outside
• Night – Set table and then clean away dishes

Now I am going to be completely honest with you.  I have the best intentions when I make these lists but it doesn’t always last.  So we shall see.  I will update y’all throughout the summer and see how long I can stay on my A game.

I hope this gives you some extra ideas for planning your summer.  I am really looking forward to ours…

XO,

Tiffany