How Parents Can Stay Sane When Kids Are On Summer Break

During the school year, parents and children develop a concrete schedule or routine of daily and nightly activities and know what to expect when each day arrives. Parents find comfort and stability in this routine and it helps free them from some of the chaos of parenthood. However, when summer break arrives and the kids get out of school, that routine is abolished and can make parents feel, well, a little bit crazy. Psychologists and child specialists recommend a few strategies for parents to utilize during these summer months to free them from some of the chaos and get some structure back in their life. Three months is a long enough time to develop some sort of routine, but the first few weeks can be hectic.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

One of the first ways parents can stay sane as they watch their routine dissolve right before them is to organize a new (but less structured to compensate for the flexibility of summer) schedule before the kids even get out of school. This includes new summer bedtimes, meal times, and maximum technology hours. It can also include a list of activities family members are still expected to do on a daily basis regardless of summer vacation, such as making their beds or tidying their rooms. 

Another way to stay organized and feel a sense of structure is by making a summer bucket list. Three months sounds like a long time but once August rolls around, many of us find ourselves asking where the time went. Filling your family’s summer with fun and exciting activities is a lot easier to accomplish when you have a list to serve as a reminder. It can also provide a reference for when a nice summer day comes around and you aren’t sure how to spend it. 

Parents can feel the craziest during the rainy days when kids can’t play outside and the whole family is cooped up indoors. Use these days to have movie marathons, read or play board games as a family. Make it fun by letting everyone stay in their pjs all day and picking out movies everyone can enjoy. Another fun activity to try on cooler or rainy days is baking. Kids love to help parents bake and kneading dough or using cookie cutters will keep them occupied long enough for parents to take a deep breath and relax for a minute. 

Another method for keeping somewhat of a schedule over the summer months is to establish a daily quiet time. Even if it is just for an hour or two a day, kids can use this time to read, play quietly, go outside, write stories, or watch a TV show. This gives parents a window of time each day to get some important things done or just take some time for themselves knowing the kids are occupied. 

A last, but important, way parents can stay sane over summer break is by having the kids help out around the house more than during the school year. Summer is for everyone to enjoy, including parents, and without a long school day, kids have unlimited free time. Give each child a few summer chores to help out around the house so everything gets done faster and everyone can have more free time to enjoy themselves. 

Long breaks from school can feel overwhelming and anxiety provoking for parents of children with unlimited free time, but there are absolutely ways parents can minimize some of the chaos and make it so they have a fun and relaxing summer, too! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

How to Keep Kids Learning Over Summer Vacation

Just because it’s summer vacation and schools out of session doesn’t mean parents want all learning to come to a halt. However, without a routine schedule and structure of a school day, finding ways for kids to keep their learning can be a little tricky. But with some creativity and a lot of time outdoors, there are definitely opportunities for learning that parents can take full advantage of.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

1. Make a trip to the zoo into a science field trip

Hands-on and visual learning are such fun ways to learn. Most families take at least one trip to the zoo during the summer anyway, so take this opportunity to turn it into a fun learning experience! Act like it is a science field trip and have the kids read all the descriptions of the animals and learn about them, like what type of animal they are and where they originate from. 

2. Try a new type of learning called “Genius Hour” 

There is a new idea experts have come up with called Genius Hour, where once a day for an hour kids are allowed to pursue whatever subject or knowledge they wish to, just for its own sake. It helps kids explore a subject they are passionate about and expand their learning and knowledge base all at once. 

3. Keep their problem-solving skills sharp

There are lots of video and computer games out there for kids that are fun but also provide cognitive nourishment and help build problem solving skills. So keep your kids problem solving skills sharp and use those rainy days to keep them occupied with some “learning-friendly” computer games. 

4. Start a vegetable garden in your backyard

Another fun way to teach your kids the basics of science is by having them help you plant a small garden or vegetable garden in your backyard. Talk with them about the science of plants and what it takes to keep them healthy and growing. In addition to the educational and learning aspect, having to tend to the plants and keep them alive is a good way for kids to learn some responsibility. 

5. Have kids keep a journal about your family vacations or adventures

Writing, even free writing, is very good for expanding kids’ reading skills and keeping their wheels turning during the long summer months. Having kids keep journals is a great way to keep them reading and writing, but also gives them something to look back on and read when they get older. 

6. Use a Museum Visit for a History Lesson

Another great way to spend a rainy or cloudy day is with a visit to a museum. Not only does it provide entertainment when the outdoors can’t, but it can also be a great excuse to teach the children some lessons about history in a way that is fun and interactive. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

What Started With One Woman Giving Neighborhood Kids Snacks Has Turned into Something So Much Bigger

At ONCEKids we celebrate women who inspire us with their kindness, strength and generosity. Cher Coner is one of those women who deserves to be acknowledged for her admirable qualities and heroic deeds. 

It all began in the summer of 2011 when Cher noticed some children gathered under a playground trying to find some relief from the pouring rain outside. But what began as her giving some snacks to a few local children has turned into a community-wide effort to help feed kids who don’t have enough food. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Millions of kids rely on school meals to get by, but what happens during the summer when school isn’t in session? Many of these kids will go hungry during summer breaks when there is no school intervention to provide them with the nutrition they so badly needed. That’s when Cher stepped in. And when more and more kids started showing up, the “No Kid Hungry” program helped her set up a summer meals program in her very own backyard. As the program has gotten bigger, more and more people from the community have gotten involved to make a difference in these kids’ lives. Sometimes all it takes is one caring person from the neighborhood to step in and say it is time for a change.

Click below to watch the heart warming video and learn more about Cher’s inspirational efforts to stop hunger in her community

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books