8 Simple Tips to Get Ready for Summer 2024

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It’s time to get ready for summer! But can Parents have a carefree and an amazing summer?

When we were kids an amazing summer was inevitable. The summer months were a much needed break from homework, tests, teachers, and school work. 

When I was a kid,and school was dismissed for summer, many of my classmates would yell, “No more homework, not more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks.” 

Summer was a time when we spent more time outside than in. Each day was an adventure of riding our bikes from one friend’s house to another, stopping for an ice cream cone at Fernwood’s along the way.  

Now that we are adults, the fun filled days of summer may seem a distant memory. 

When was the last time you got on a bike that wasn’t for exercise? When was the last time you got an ice cream cone simply because it was on the way to another adventure?   

Maybe you still have fun, but you have more responsibilities, perhaps your fun is more scheduled, more grown up. 

C.S. Lewis said, “When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of Childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”

You may be a grown up, you may have responsibilities, and you may even have kids. Maybe you want your kids and family to have such an amazing summer, that you are willing to make sacrifices to give it to them. Who doesn’t want to give their kids everything? 

But don’t give your family an amazing summer at the expense of your own happiness. Don’t forget about you.

When I was a kid, I would watch my mom and other moms sit out of fun activities at family reunions and camping trips. When my family visited an amusement park, I never saw my mom ride the ferris-wheel or go on a roller coaster.  

I began to think that once women started having kids, they stopped having fun. They lived their life vicariously through their children. 

Then I became an adult. I learned that parents still want to have fun, they are simply worn out. What parent wouldn’t be exhausted after waking up an hour before the sun rises to pack lunches and snacks, do a load or two of laundry, tidy up the house, and then get the kids up so they can all go to the zoo for the day.

Motherhood is the most noble of jobs, I love being a mom more than anything, but moms deserve to have an amazing summer. Moms need to love life. 

So how are you going to have the energy to have an amazing summer of your own? How are you going to add the fun activities you want to do into your already busy schedule? 

Try these tips to increase your energy and get ready for summer!

The Best Summer Ever!

1.      Commit to yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror and vow that you’ll take a more intentional part in family fun activities this summer. You’ll worry less about keeping the house spotless and the yard immaculate. And you will stop such a busy schedule of doing the laundry, washing the car, and cleaning the kitchen before 9:00 am every day.  Commit to enjoying an amazing summer full of adventure.

2.      Look at your options? Have a family meeting and discuss the activities you would all like to participate in. Consider activities you haven’t tried before. Maybe your kids want to take the usual 2-hour drive to the amusement park at least once. Maybe you want to do something different and have a picnic in your own backyard.

Discuss the type of recreation you’d all like to be involved in. Take time to consider which proposed activities you’d enjoy the most. Which Family Fun activities can create some unforgettable memories for the family and you? 

3.      Keep a routine:   When school is out, sometimes our routines leave as well. Studies show that routines are important in family functioning and good sleep habits.

For summer months it is OK to establish a different schedule, but developing a routine will keep everyone in the family functioning happily.

4.   Get plenty of rest and exercise.  We should be getting 8 hours of sleep each night. My Fitbit tracks my sleep, and gives me a sleep score. My Fitbit is very accurate, because the lower my sleep score, the less energy I have the next day.

To increase energy, try taking a brisk walk every day.  Studies show that we should be getting 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week for optimum health

Get enough sleep and exercise and you will have the energy to take on an amazing summer with more vigor.

5.      Use positive thinking and self-talk to prepare for each day. Joe Osteen said, “You can talk yourself into your dreams or talk yourself out of your dreams.” When you wake up each morning say something like:  “I’m so excited about spending more time with my kids this summer” or “I am so grateful that I have my health and energy to be able to care for my family and have fun.” 

The Thinkup app is a fantastic tool for motivation and positive thinking. You can check it out here. https://www.thinkup.me/

Staying positive will help you maintain a positive mindset and keep you making an effort to make this the best summer ever!

6.      Don’t forget about your spouse/partner. Dr. Dana Fillmore and Amy Barnhart, co-Founders of StrongMarriageNow.com say that one of the most important factors in having a healthy relationship, is time. You should schedule at least 8 Hours per week of time alone together. That could be anything from going on a walk together, cuddling on the couch watching a Netflix movie, or something a little more fun.  

Get ready for summer by getting together and deciding what you would like to do to spend more time together.  Commit to doing it. Schedule it on the calendar.

7.      Be grateful. Remind yourself that you have your family, friends, and health. You are so blessed to have the choice to spend more time engaging in activities you love with your family! Get ready for summer with gratitude in your heart.

If you don’t already, consider starting a gratitude journal. Here are some Gratitude Journal Writing Prompts.

8.      Cut yourself some slack. Because you are trying to be more intentional with your summer this year, give yourself some props. Keeping up your energy up so you can have an active and fun season while still continuing as a busy parent is quite a feat. It’s ok to have a lazy day or two, or ten.

Summer is almost here. It’s time to re-invigorate and get ready for summer. Commit to embrace your fun-loving side. Think about how you’d like to experience some new and different activities this season.

Don’t sit out on family fun. Don’t be a fun watcher, be a fun doer!

Exercise regularly to increase stamina. Practice positive self-talk to get motivated to prepare for lots of summer fun and activities.

Talk to your spouse/partner about both of your plans as the weather heats up. Recognize what you have and be thankful for it. Start now to get ready for summer; you’ll enjoy your best summer yet!

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Hopefully you are ready to bring back that youthful joy you had as a kid to make this the best summer ever. Leave a comment and let us know how you can make summer the best ever.