Parenting Tips for Summertime
The summertime can be a place of nostalgia for kids everywhere. It’s warm, sunny, and school free. However, for parents, summer can be a stressful time. Also, different age groups require specific things and transitions for the start and end of summer. Here are some tips for smooth transitions into summer.
Keeping Young Kids Busy During Summer
If you have kids young enough to need a babysitter or daycare, you understand the struggle of paying a ridiculous amount over the summer. Unless you have a job as a teacher or a stay at home parent, chances are you don’t have the ability to just take off work during the summertime. It can be a difficult thing to find a place for your kids to go during the day that won’t keep them indoors while there is beautiful weather outside. You may want to consider a babysitter rather than daycare, but you’re unsure about how your kids will respond, and you aren’t sure about trusting someone who isn’t “official.”
Since hiring a babysitter can be much more inexpensive than daycare, consider these tips to ensure you and your child transition smoothly:
Trust Your Gut- If you think someone will not get along well with your child, or perhaps mistreat them, don’t hire them. It’s as simple as that.
Allow Your Child to Meet Them First- Before you hire them, it is probably a good idea to have your kids interact with them before you seal the deal. It is important for them to be comfortable around them.
Find Someone With Your Morals- During an interview, ask questions to get an idea of their disciplining habits, values, and opinions. If someone is going to be spending a lot of time with your child, you want to make sure they will honor your requests, especially if you have a religion or disciplining preference.
Actually Talk to References- This does not just apply to their references they listed (although you should check those out too). Ask around about them. Try to find not only positive feedback but negative as well. It is important to see the things people complain about in that person. If they are things that don’t bother you, then great. If so, then you might want to reconsider.
Find Someone Fun- Obviously, they still need to discipline, but overall, find someone your kids will enjoy being around and make memories with.
Teens During the Summer
This subject can be intimidating to a lot of parents. Just think, “So, my hormone enraged, moody, and maybe even at times reckless teenager has a car and A LOT of free time?” For them, this sounds absolutely fantastic. Recall when you were a teen. Summer nights were probably some of the best of your life. While you don’t want to deprive your child of these valuable memories, you also don’t want them running wild. There is a fairly simple answer to this. Encourage them to get a job. It seems too simple, doesn’t it? Think about it, they stay in one place, they are likely to make friends, and they will make money. They will have to have a job at some point in their lives, and getting a job in high school will only give them more experience.
Some parents are against their kids having a job in high school because they want them to focus on school. Well, it is summer. Most likely, they don’t have any school work. Also, if they want to continue their job into the school year, you should let them. It teaches impeccable time management skills that they WILL use later in life.
As mentioned earlier, be sure to still give some time for your teen to be a teen, because they deserve to enjoy their youth. Yes, it can be extremely difficult to look the other way every now and then as a parent. However, you can still let them enjoy themselves, while still being in control. It is about finding the right balance. While it can be like pulling teeth to try and talk to a teen to see how they’re feeling in order to grasp on what is going on in their life, it can be done. If you can’t seem to get any answers out of them, pay attention to their behaviors to be sure that they are still being responsible.
When School Rolls Around Again
It can be hard after a summer full of staying up late and doing nothing, to transition into school life again. Make sure a couple of weeks before you start preparing them to get back into a routine. Younger kids require more time than teens (teenagers can bounce back pretty fast, usually). To prepare them, start school shopping for new supplies or clothes. This can get them ready to start back up, and who doesn’t love new stuff right? Tell them they can’t use any of the new things or clothes until school starts since it is for school. This will get them (almost) excited for school again.
For Those Graduating
Summer is especially transitional for young adults graduating. A routine of 13-14 years is about to change. If they are going to college, it can seem very surreal to you both that they are starting a new chapter and growing up. If they are moving away to college, this can be very hard for you, so think about what they are thinking. Chances are, they’re excited to go, but also very nervous. Start dorm shopping together to help it feel like home. Even if they are not going to college and they are going to the military or working, again, chances are they are still going to be moving out sometime soon after graduation.
Graduation is probably the most difficult and exciting transitional time in a young person’s life. It opens a lot of doorways to adulthood and it is a whole new experience, even if they were independent before. Be excited for your child, and let them know you’re proud. Also, be there to be supportive no matter what path they are pursuing after high school.