summer struggles

School let out for Summer mid-June, and here we are in the beginning of August still struggling with structure and consistency. The kids are staying up later at night, their sleep schedules are off, they try to eat 15 times a day, and sometimes they complain that they are bored 30 times a day. Oh, what fun.

Having a big family should mean that I have done all the trial and errors and found exactly what works for us. But honestly, sometimes I’m still trying to find out what works for us. Creating structure for our family is like a large puzzle. There are so many pieces, and not always do they fit together.

To give a little more information, I’ve already introduced my crew, but our oldest four kids go between their other parents’ home and ours.

There are three households involved, and all three households have different rules. This is probably the most challenging thing when it comes to having a big blended family. I don’t have control over my family all the time. I only have control over my household so that’s where I put my energy. And sometimes that means I must reiterate our house rules a dozen times. There are habits our kids form at their other parents’ houses, that we have to break when they return to ours.

It’s been fun trying to figure things out. I’m still working my normal schedule, so I come home exhausted. More so lately because of the new pregnancy.

But there are a couple things I’m doing to make summer a little easier to manage.

Anytime the kids are being too rambunctious in the house, I ship them outside. I know, it is an easy solution, but it works most of the time for at least a bit. They can play a sport, play tag, or any other game they think of. I’ll even let them take a board game off the game shelves and play it outside together. They get fresh air, you get peace, sounds like a win to me. I can use that time to catch up on housework.

When they tell me that they’re bored, I give them a task. Somewhere between when I was a kid to an adult, kids have lost the ability to let themselves experience boredom. The kids need to be stimulated by some type of screen 24/7. I have limits on cellphone usage and any type of electronic games. If I hear “I’m bored” I will automatically assign a chore. “You’re bored? cool, go sweep the dining room”. This is usually met with some type of annoyance or resistance. But this is a rule in my house. If you tell me you’re bored, then I will give you a chore to do. The other option when you’re bored? Be bored. This is where kids get to be creative and use their imagination. They don’t always need to be told what to do or how to do it to occupy themselves. They can go outside, make up a game, draw. The possibilities are endless. I encourage boredom.

Setting up a snack bin per kid. During school, the kids eat in the morning, a lunch and a snack at school. There is no constant eating during the day. During Summer, the kids think they can just hang out by the kitchen all day. So, I grabbed a bin with a few dividers and stocked it with a few types of snacks my kids eat. They may choose only 2-3 a day. This allows them to eat a snack when they want to without the need to ask to eat. Kids love having control over themselves, and this is one way I’ve found that allows them to make their own decisions but within the limitations I as the parent can set.

These are just a few minor things that help us during the Summer Recess. Leave a comment and let me know you’re biggest struggle during the Summer with your kids!