Structured Summertime Fun for Children

I despise structure, however at the same time I crave it. I know weird, I guess I liken it to the need to be able to do whatever I want but have some structure while I’m doing whatever I want.

I mentioned earlier in the week house hunting basically consumed my time for the past few weeks and while I was staring with glazed eyes at what seemed like every house on the market in the Atlanta area, I kind of let my children do their own thing. Well letting them “do their own thing” resulted in their sleeping and eating schedules to be completely thrown off.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Strong 4 Life campaign stresses the importance of making sure our children have some sort of structure during the summer to ward off restlessness and irritability. Yes, please. Tell me more, because the little people attitudes around here are at an all time high.

 

To aid in creating structure in our children we have to practice what we preach and join in the fun. It’s good for us, I promise! Creating a summer contract not only sets bounds and limits it will also help us unorganized parents get our acts together, cause we really do feel much better and together when we are on some sort of schedule.

One way to get the entire family on the same tract is to create a Summer Contract. Here are a few tips from Strong 4 Life on  getting started with your own family Summer Contract:

• Start by brainstorming what each family member would like to achieve this summer, individually or together.
• Understand your starting point – where you are now versus where you want to be by the end of the summer.
• Make your goals specific, measurable, achievable and time-bound. You can come up with goals of your own or use the Strong4Life Healthy Habits.
• Make an action plan: How will you change your actions over time to reach your goals?
• Encourage each other by tracking each other’s progress via weekly family meetings or a tally sheet.
• Remember to make it fun!

We only have a little over 6 weeks left before school starts around these parts but we are going to hit the month of July running…..hopefully keeping to a schedule. Strong 4 Life has made it even easier to stick to your schedule by providing a customizable/printable contract that you can fill out and hang up. We’re going to fill ours out, now send us good vibes that we’ll stick to it!

Are you great at keeping your children on a schedule? Even in the summer?!!

I was not compensated for this post. I just really love what Strong 4 Life stands for and what they are doing to make sure we have healthy and safe children and families. Please check out their website for additional information on how to make sure our children and families are as healthy as they can be.