Summer Organization: Parent Prep

Plan out summer activities for your children. Try not to leave the calendar blank. (Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock)

Summertime is such a wonderful time of year. If you’re a parent, though, you know that summer can quickly begin to feel hectic and chaotic if you’re not careful. With a little bit of advanced preparation, you can enjoy some easy, breezy summer days.

Close Out the School Year

As the school year winds down, there’s sure to be some cleaning out, decluttering, and purging that can happen at the end of the year.

Don’t just shove those stuffed backpacks in the back of the closet because it’s September’s problem. Clear out this year’s school work, save what you want, and toss what you don’t. Get lunch boxes and backpacks cleaned up and provide yourself with a blank slate to work with when back-to-school time comes around.

Prepare the Snack

The demand for snacks seems to increase tenfold in the summertime. Prepare healthy options in advance and in a way that’s easy for little ones to retrieve them themselves. You can’t go wrong with things like hard-boiled eggs, meat sticks, nuts (assuming no allergies), string cheese, ice pops with little or no sugar, yogurt, fruits of all kinds, and cut vegetables.

Water

When it comes to drinks, water is always the best option. Set up your kitchen so that your kids can refill their glasses or water bottles easily whenever they need to or have pre-filled bottles ready to go.

Focus on the Grill

There is nothing better than enjoying food off the grill in the summertime. Not only does it taste amazing, it’s easy to prepare, easy to clean up, and you can make large batches for meal prepping during the week. Always make sure to have your grilling favorites on hand and let your oven take the summer off.

Plot the Calendar

While it might be tempting to keep a wide open schedule all summer long, experienced parents know that a healthy balance of structure and freedom lead to a much happier season overall. Plot out any travel plans you have, along with summer activities your children may be participating in.

Consider establishing a light but consistent weekly routine. Perhaps you’ll visit a relative each Saturday, or you’ll go to a local bookstore or the library each Wednesday, or the park or beach on Tuesday. Predictability and routines can be comforting and fun, even if it sounds a bit rigid for summer. What’s more, planning ensures you’re not overscheduling and that there’s plenty of downtime, too.

Gather the Gear

Make sure your family has the typical gear they’ll need for summertime fun: Bathing suits, flip flops, beach towels, sunglasses—you know the list. Have a bag always ready to go for a last-minute field trip or adventure.

Set a Budget

One aspect of summer that can be easily overlooked is the increase in expenses. All those fun and games can add up quickly. Make careful choices from a financial standpoint and set aside whatever money you can for the summer delights that are most important to you.