Mom's Favorite Summertime Sanity Savers: Part 1

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There are so many times during the school year I just think "I can't WAIT for summer to get here!". Then summer break arrives and after roughly four weeks I'm wishing for school to start up again.  Anyone else in the same boat?!

Over time we've figured out some great strategies to make our summers go a little smoother and be more enjoyable for us all! Check out the first 4 of 8 of our Summertime Sanity Savers.

1. Outdoor Play

Spending time outside is huge during the summer!  My kids, like most, are very active and need to have an energy outlet.  Our home, while a nice size, isn’t set up to accommodate five kids running, kicking a ball, or climbing.  They do try to jump from couch to couch; but, I do discourage that - most days.  

Parks, playgrounds, bike riding, hiking - these are all great options to help release all the {seemingly} unlimited energy those little people in your life have.  

But it’s hot out, right?!

Here’s a few of tips to make the most of your outdoor time:

~ Keep the sunscreen handy (This is the one we use and love)

~ Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

~ Time your outing for the early morning or evenings after the hottest time of the day.

2. Hydration

As I mentioned above, staying hydrated during the hot summer months is a necessity.  More often than not, a person can get all they need by just drinking water.  Lots and lots of water.  Adding fruits and veggies can help add a little flavor and extra refreshing taste. Check out this post about how to get more water in your diet.

For those days when there’s a lot more activity and sweat, we keep Shaklee’s Performance on hand to help replace fluids and electrolytes.  {Think Gatorade, but with more benefits and no dyes or artificial additives.}  We either drink it by itself, or add it to our lemonade, tea or even make popsicles for an extra treat.  It’s something all the kids love to beat the heat, and it’s a drink I don’t have to feel guilty about giving them.

3. Water

Since we just talked about hydration, you know this isn’t about drinking water.  This water is all about play, and our family LOVES to play in water. Very early in all my kids’ lives, water has been something that will keep them entertained for hours.

From playing in a full roasting pan on the deck

To having one of those inflatable pools in the backyard 

To the neighborhood pool

Our family has spent most of its summers in some form of water.  My kids love it because they can stay cool but still be outside.  I love it because they are willing to play for hours and that equates to some really tired kiddos at bedtime.  

This year has been a little different for us since we’ve moved to a new location.  We've found a local pool, which is great, but we're having to get used to the fact that our friends from down the street or right across the road won’t be showing up for an impromptu playdate.  We still have fun, though!

What happens if you don’t have a pool to go to?  

The other water activities we do all happen in our backyard.  Sprinklers and splash pads have been great to have in the past when the kids were all smaller.  The inflatable pools seem to be great at any age - as long as they are big enough to accommodate whatever number of kids you have.  All of these can last for multiple years if taken care of properly, too.

Our new thing this year is getting the garden hose out and spraying down the trampoline (and each other).  This has been great, but a little hard on the water bill at times.

We also take advantage of the rain.  Why not?! As long as there’s no thunder, I shove the kids out the door so they can run out some of their energy in a God-made sprinkler.  Since a nice rain doesn’t happen very often around here, it’s always a treat when the opportunity comes along.  

4. Stress Relief

I’m about to do some shameless bragging here.  I have some of the best kids a parent could ask for.  Do we have issues? Oh, my, YES!  They’re kids! Self-centered crazies, sometimes; but, overall, all of the kids are growing up to be some pretty neat individuals.

That said- we all have our moments.  Keeping Stress Relief on hand gives me one more tool in my arsenal to handle any of those crazy ‘off’ days that come along.   I’ve chosen to only take it every so often (for those really rough days), but it’s safe to take everyday.  Another great thing about it is it only takes 30 minutes to kick in once you’ve taken it.  No drowsiness: all the calm.  Perfect for those rough days that come along!

So there you have my first 4 strategies for surviving the summer with your sanity intact!  Look for the next installment coming at you soon!