Summer Survival Tips..

[PrincessFiona]

Lets share our summer survival tips. I decided that I had to get organized early, so here's my plan (don't laugh..yes, I know in a month or so I'll be asking for survival advice...point me back to this thread!)

1. I scheduled a time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2. Paper plates and plastic cutlery/cups all the way. Names are on the cups so that I can reuse them...but I'm not going to waste all day cleaning the kitchen!

3. I planned sandwiches for the week and bought lunchmeat, cheese and snacks...and then... ...I locked the cupboard. The kids can't get any of the snacks. I don't want to clean up cookies and chips all day or have them drink every single caprisun in one day.

4. I sat down last night and did a one month meal plan for evening meals with easy things (and a pizza night built in.)

phew. I feel so....ready.

How are you guys handling bedtime? Aidan and Zoe were up until 10.30 pm last night because it is getting darker later. I forget the time, they don't want to go to bed....

Are you guys doing chores for the kids? How are you handling them?

Bring on the summer survival tips!

Kris

[DCJenn]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Oh Kris- I've been meaning to post- I read a great thing by this woman w/ 8 kids- she was tired of fighting the losing battle of the dishes so she bought each kid one plate (a large flat-bottomed bowl, really), one glass, and one set of silverware and they were responsible for keeping that one bowl clean after each meal. She had them all decorate their dishes w/ their names, etc.

She said just a couple days of having to scrape off dried on oatmeal before they could be served dinner made all the difference in getting the dishes cleaned. The little ones are responsible for getting their dishes to the sink and the responsibility increases w/ age.

Jenn

[DCJenn]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Oh, my summer survival tip was to sign the dude up for every cool class the Crunchy School is offering. Next week he starts w/ "Take me to Suessland". One week is hula lessons, one week will be African Safari.

the older kids have even more options.

and in the evenings and weekends- we're in the pool, baby.

Jenn

[alison]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

I'm coming over, if that's ok with you!!!
Get that yoghurt machine revved up for the tsaziki. I'll bring the Bratwuerte and Nudelsalat.

[Vanquisher]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Oh yeah, I've got a chore chart

Ryan's is:

Help with indoor chores
Empty dishwasher
Load dishwasher
Help with outdoor chores
Take out trash
Brush teeth
Clean up room
Take a bath (yes, I have to specify this)
Make bed

Lexi's is:

Brush teeth
Clean up room
Take a bath
Make bed
Put toys away
Set table
Get dressed
Clear table

For Ryan: He is required to finish whatever he is able to finish on his chore chart in the morning before he is allowed to have any screen time or play time.

For doing their jobs well and timely the children will be rewarded with movies, treats, and other various rewards throughout the summer.

I need to find out about swimming lessons, golf, dance or gymnastics, and summer vacations/trips, if any.

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

I bought Annabel Karmels book for kids lunchboxes so I made up a meal plans for lunches out of that to see what I will use in September when DS starts school. (great book! really easy and nice recipes!), Oh I should add that there aren't canteens in our schools, we have to provide all meals and drinks, I'm not sure if its the same across the pond for 4/5yos?

I have a list of indoor activities and outdoor activities that are easy to tidy and put away (montossori has been great for ds in teaching him all these things!)

I like the paper plates idea! I also need to but a bowl that can be suctioned onto Tara's high chair because its being thrown at any given oppertunity.

we have a 2 week summer camp planned where DS can play games all day and get rid of any excess energy building up from not being in school!

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

We're in a good groove for chores right now. Probably every 2 weeks or so I'll add another little chore in there. If I implement a drastically different chore schedule now I think there'll be some serious tween rebellion... Ironically, the chores that I work so hard to get the kids to do all seem to be things that DH used to be assigned to do... So my chore-load hasn't lightened much!!! That's going to be my next focus!

For this first part of summer, we have swimming every morning. Also, For 1 week, we have CubScout daycamp, then for another week a VBS, and then Kate goes off to Washington state for about 4 weeks, while the kids and I stay here for assorted doctors appts. Boooooring summer.

Swimming gets us all up by 730, unfortunately... Swimming ends by 10:30 am, before the pool "opens" to the HOA. We have meets on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays, with Fun Friday events on Fridays. So the first month of summer will be dominated by swimming until the 3rd week of July. That's when summer begins for me...

After swimming is over, I'll have to really figure out what to do with the younger kids. I know how hot and miserable it is here in July and August (why tourists come here then I have no idea) and so if we go swimming, it will be morning (the pool doesn't open until 10- and already by then it's sometimes too miserable to leave the A/C). The afternoon we'll relax/ play the Wii, and the evening we'll try to get out of the house. I'm so anal about bedtimes, I've been feeling serious guilt lately, so I would like to let them stay up a little later so that we can do some outdoor stuff from maybe 7 pm to 9 or so. That's the only time it's even reasonably comfortable outside. Besides dinner time chores, and the basic stuff like making the bed, I don't think I'll have them do any extra daily chores. They can make money by cleaning windows and stuff, like they do now, but I keep most of the heavy chores for Saturday morning.

As far as meals... Uggh. I hate Saturday's b/c I'm the short order cook. I like Kris's idea of the lunch meats set out. I don't want to cook Mac&Cheese for 1 child, a hot dog for another, and chicken nuggets for the 3rd like I usually do. It is insanity.

Anyway...

I'm just trying to hang in here where they still have 8 days of school! Kate still has 3 math exams, and other finals to worry about. The twins have little shows at school that I have to try hard not to forget to attend. I forgot their big show this year and I have been feeling like the worst mother on the planet ever sense.

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Ask me on Wednesday. That is our first day out of school.

I think I got a good mix of camps and free weeks for us. We have more free weeks than camps. This is the first year (wahoo!) that Anna can attend some of the camps that Bryn is going to at the zoo and a nature preserve. Unfortunately, hers are half day so...I might be driving more. Or carpooling with a reliable person (my neighbor has kids the same age). Anna is so eager to do what her big sister does.

Otherwise, I think we will spend a lot of lazy afternoons at the pool. Lazy for the kdis, not for me. I'm sure I will be on high alert with Evelyn near the water. Anna too, she is still getting used to the idea of the pool getting deeper.

Kris, I got a few big bags of snack mix and trail mix at Costco. I put it up high to keep the kids out of it! I'm going to portion it into smaller bags to take to the pool.

I'm going to have a babysitter for sure one afternoon a week, maybe two. I've been trying to get out by myself for some exercise and I've been really enjoying that time to myself.

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Thoughts of summer survival loom large today. It is 8;45 and my kids have been fighting all morning. :thud:

[houseelf]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

O.K. It is 11 and none of us are dressed yet. My plans for this week fell through so I'm winging it. typically, I try to go somewhere every single day. It makes me feel like I've accomplished something.

So far, I've been a big fan of the morning only "camps". One of the kids go learn something for awhile and then I pick them up and go somewhere.

That's all I've got. :huh:

Kelly

[mommax3]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

Okay, now that we are in week three of summer, I think we have something approaching a rhythm going on here.

Everyone is getting up on their own schedule, pretty much, although Nathan has swimming from 8 to 9 on days that he doesn't have meets, so on practice days, he and I are up and out by 7:40. We are home by 9:20, and by then the older two are supposed to have showered and had breakfast. At that point, the younger two do their "Summer Bridge Activities" (a page a day) and Luke practices piano. I have chores for everyone, some regular, like dishes and laundry, and some spur of the moment depending on what needs to be done. Usually, by 11, they are done with the stuff I have them do and they are free to go outside. No snacks until after lunch is my rule, and I have stocked up on popsicles that are eaten outside only. The older two take turns making sandwiches for lunch. The afternoons are more free time, with swimming again at 4 for Joel and 6 for Luke. Swimming ends this week, and next week is camp for the older two and grandma's for Nathan while Travis and I go to Oregon. After we get back, we will be out and about more since we won't have to worry about swimming.

The key for me so far has been to delegate dishes and lunch-making to them, AND to be consistent about making them clean up their own messes. I am also implementing silent reading time when the bickering starts up, usually by late afternoon.

Sally

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

I need quiet reading time at 8am. I think I identified the problem -- we all woke up on the wrong side of the bed, me included. *sigh* Tomorrow is another day.

I like the quiet reading time idea. Anna can look at books.

I went to the pool with the sitter and also with DH. The youngest two are getting better about it so I am feeling better about going on my own with the three of them. Bryn is no trouble at all, it is the youngest two getting squirrely. With another year of age, next year will be no problem though!

[Sheherezade]

Re: Summer Survival Tips..

We've been having luck with reading time around 4 or so. I think my daughter has a natural lull at that time of day and likes the slow down. My son (12)....well.... I've been paying him to read at that time too. At least he's reading!!!! (And he puts the money in his bank account!)