Summer has arrived, and it’s such a relief for everyone who hates shoveling snow, enjoys Vitamin D, and likes being outside without several layers of clothes. It’s the perfect time to ride your bike, go to the beach when you have time off, or indulge in frozen treats and drinks. However, it also means the end of the academic year and your kids being home full-time. So, what do you do with these kids full of energy running around your house when you have to work?
Working from home has changed how we approach our daily lives. It’s created new opportunities for parents to spend time with their kids, saved money on commuting and childcare, and encouraged a healthier work-life balance. But working from home comes with its challenges, such as handling kids during work hours.
There are ways to alleviate this, of course. As recent events have allowed the world to open back up, day programs have returned to local community centers and the YMCA. Libraries often offer summer reading programs that let you drop off your kids and give you a few hours of peace to get things done at home. Families also use this time to take a vacation, so you can occasionally hand your kids off to friends and family who are going on adventures and wouldn’t mind a tag-along.
But if none of the above apply to you, here are some of our favorite survival tips for getting through your kids’ summer vacation challenge.
Before dealing with the kids running rampant in the house, take a few moments to destress yourself. Routine is one of the best ways that you can relax. For example, getting up and taking five minutes to breathe quietly to yourself before opening your door and dealing with life can help you center your mind. However, sometimes the kiddos don’t give us that opportunity, and that’s OK. Instead, you could get up when you usually do with the kids, get them fed, set them to an activity, and then take a warm relaxing shower to get that peace of mind and alone time.
If you’re looking for an additive to relax your morning, take one of Spirit Peak Organics Softgels first thing in the morning to let CBD do its job while you do yours. One of the perks of our softgels is that you get the exact same dose of CBD (25 mg) every single morning.
If softgels aren’t your thing or you are looking to self-manage your dosage, starting your morning with a tincture tea is a great way to incorporate CBD. I recommend making your tea normally but before you add your milk and sweetener, add a few drops of our unflavored or mint tincture. When you stir in your milk, sweetener, or sugar, the tincture will blend with the drink, and you’ll enjoy a relaxing cup of tea with the added bonus of CBD!
Keeping your kids busy isn’t just about having them occupy themselves. OK, it is, but that’s not all it is. Instead, you can challenge your kids to learn independently without forcing them to read or do too many school-like things. Educational activities don’t have to be boring — instead, you can enrich their minds while letting them have fun!
Give your kids a ream of paper and tell them that they have to create a paper airplane until you finish work. This paper airplane has to fly farther than anyone else’s. If you want to up the challenge, you could look up paper airplane tutorials on YouTube and create your own folded flyer that they have to compete against! You can let them do whatever research and testing they can and spend as much time as they want to fold, decorate, and test their plane.
This activity encourages children to learn about the physics of aerodynamics as well as engineering. While it may seem like a simple challenge, it allows them to engage their creative mind and scientific mind simultaneously.
This is a classic educational activity for a reason. It’s fun, messy in a controlled way, and challenges kids to think about how they engage with physics every day! Give your kids all day to create the perfect container to protect an egg in an egg drop. The kid’s container that survives the highest fall wins.
Like the airplane challenge, you can up the ante by creating your own container to compete against them. The fun part of this is that you’ve got the opportunity to throw eggs off a high place after work, just to see them smash.
Teaching your kids about environmental stewardship doesn’t have to be a drag. Instead, you can challenge your kids to develop ways to beautify your neighborhood. Then, find ways to allow them to engage in these activities. Some people paint rocks and leave them out in their neighborhood with encouraging messages. This is a great way to brighten someone else’s day and decorate the world around you.
Your kids might come up with ideas like picking up litter or cleaning up polluted areas. You could even use this list as a reference for activities in your time off. That way, your kids learn stewardship, and you can help them build a better relationship with their community.
Whether you have a yard, a balcony, or just a window, you can start a little victory garden for your kids to learn in. A window box in an apartment is a great way to grow fresh herbs that’ll spice up your meals for free. Or, if you have a balcony with room for potted plants, you can grow small berries like strawberries. This is an excellent opportunity to challenge your kids to do their research.
Have the kids find the best information on how to pot, plant, water, and feed what you’re growing. It’ll build a sense of ownership over the plants, and when they get to eat what they’ve grown, they’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done!
