How Summer Vacation Can Impact Parenting

It’s easy for summer vacation to impact your parenting because you may feel as though you have to let your children have a little extra fun. Vacation is supposed to be a fun time, not a time for the same rigorous schedules you need to follow during the school year, including bedtime. Instead of arguing with the kids about going to bed early, it’s easier to let them stay up longer.

Bedtimes on Summer Vacation

However, the downside to easing up on bedtimes and chores is that you could be up later than you normally are — after all, children have a ton of energy! Try letting them stay up just an hour past bedtime. Let them know that you have to get up early in the morning for the fun things you have planned and that they definitely don’t want to miss out because they are tired. As for chores, some won’t be the same. Chances are, you’re not going to be cleaning or doing dishes. Assign them another chore such as walking the dog with you if you brought Fido with you or putting their clothes up.

Summer Vacation Chores

While summer vacation does impact your parenting because you do want to allow your children more leeway, it is temporary, and everyone deserves a break from a daily schedule. After all, that’s why you’re on vacation. If you find yourself getting tired because you’re trying to keep up with the kids all day, create a relaxation period. Whether you stop for ice cream or catch a movie with the family, you’ve just created a way to wind down for a bit. You might break up your day with several “winding down” activities just so you can keep up the pace! Don’t forget, you were that age once, and undoubtedly kept your parents running.

Creating several “breaks” also keeps the kids from getting too wound up — wound up to the point where they can’t calm down. That makes a bad experience for you because you’re stressed and a bad experience for them because they know you’re not happy, but not why. Plus, if you keep them going all day while “sneaking” breaks for yourself, you’ll be able to handle the later bedtime and chances are, they’ll be so worn out that they’ll pass out in the middle of what they’re doing at about their normal bedtime.

Related Post:

What is the Summer Slide, and How Can It Be Prevented?

• by Liz B. from the achildgrows writers team
• Photo by Daiga Ellaby