Mom Strategies for Summer Fun
by Molly Gold, founder of GO MOM !NC
The end of the school year breathes new life into Moms and kids alike. But that welcome relief can quickly fade into household chaos causing a bad case of Mom stress. With a little planning, you can send your family off into a memorable summer balanced with time for yourself and your children too. Here is GO MOM !NC's "Three M" Strategy for a fantastic summer:
Mom Map - Before your kids return home fulltime, map out any family travel and camp commitments to see how your days look. This is the key to making time for summer adventure, even if you are protecting the notion of lazy days by the pool and backyard sleepovers. Kick off summer with a garage sale run by you and lemonade stand, run by the kids, clearing out the clutter making room for painted rocks and tadpoles. Stock up on arts and crafts for indoors and out, including paints, big rolls of paper, plenty of sidewalk chalk, and bubbles, placing them within your child's reach. Creative inspiration abounds with summer relaxation, so encourage their dreams and enjoy the results.
Mom Magic - Every community is full of wonderful and often free resources for curious minds. Outline your mainstays, like story time at the library or nature classes at a regional park, then go with the flow. Use the weather as your guide and plan your week with flexibility in charge. Create a rainy day box and have your children place ideas inside. Then when you find yourself puddle jumping, the kids can navigate the activities of their choice to fill the day. From making spaceships out of cardboard boxes to pirate ships out of your couch and some sheets, the point is encouraging your children to fill their time offering everyday resources to do it in style. Facilitate a summer long game of post office by finding an age appropriate pen pal for your child. Perhaps a cousin across the country or a fellow member of a children's fan club, your little one will love receiving and sending regular post cards learning about friend's world and summer adventures. Have Kids Cook Night and with the help of a good children's cookbook, take the afternoon as a side chef, helping your kids prepare the meal of the day. All of these tricks can be offered without your children ever knowing you had it planned all along.
Mom Moments - Before your children descend upon the house seeking swimsuits and Popsicles for the entire block, identify your personal needs and schedule time to meet them. Summer means fun and just as you work to meet your family needs for enrichment and relaxation, you deserve the same. Institute a daily Mom's Hour, where kids know for this hour, you are off limits. They have quiet time to read, build Legos, or draw and you recharge as well. For Moms of younger children, honor nap time as Mom's hour and do your best to balance it with taking a break and staying organized. Schedule two dates a month with your spouse and if sitters aren't around, swap with another couple in exchange for the same. Use your local gym to its fullest and let the kids enjoy a children's program while you sneak in a workout. And for regular relief, hire a summer Mother's Helper to keep and eye on the kids while you keep and eye on the shop. A happy Mom makes for a happy family, so show them how to make it happen by taking care of your needs and enjoying their company all the while.
How can Moms make sure to implement the "Three M" Strategy over summer break? Quite simply, by scheduling it! GO MOM !NC promotes the use of The GO MOM! Planner, an ultimate catchall and clearinghouse day planner for everything that is family. By utilizing this planner system, Moms maintain a family overview while incorporating personal needs and work obligations around the family schedules. Implementing a family calendar system enables Moms to tackle the tasks at hand and makes scheduling a snap.
Founder Molly Gold is a 40-year-old mother of three and the creator of the GO MOM!® product line, which is produced via license partnership with Mead Westvaco Consumer and Office Products and sold at major retailers nationwide, including Target, Staples, and Office Max. Molly is known for her keen insights into Family Scheduling and has been featured both in print and on air.
