How To Make The Most Of The School Holidays

School kids have been waiting for the summer holidays for weeks — if not months! — already, but parents may not be that excited. We've all seen the blog and forum posts in which parents complain that spending lots of time with their children is driving them insane at the speed of light. 

Why does this happen? Parents who work all through summer and have no choice but to enroll their children in summer camps, send them off to grandparents, or hire a babysitter may not notice much of a difference in their routine. Families going on summer vacation together will love the change of scenery and new activities, and creating fun won't be hard for them. 

Do Fun Stuff This Summer!

Families in this situation are at risk of spending too much time indoors, and arguing with each other rather than having fun. 

Being at home more often means you'll have bigger messes to deal with, leading to nagging and then unhappy kids. There might be more cooking, more cleaning, more screen time... and there you have it: cabin fever and a negative cycle that turns your summer holidays into a nightmare. Thankfully, this cycle isn't that hard to break. All you need to do is commit to having fun this summer.

See Also: Parenting Advice: How to Spend Quality Time With your Kids

• Why not start the school holidays by making a summer fun list together? Brainstorm as a family, and write everything that's said down on a huge piece of paper.
• Invite your kids' friends or cousins for sleepover parties. 
• Make a time capsule with summer fun things (badminton, balloons, yard twister, smoothie recipes...) and bury it for next year. When you dig it up, replace it with another one. You'll have something to look forward to every year!
• Spend lots of time at the local pool. sign any kids who can't swim yet up for classes. 
• Spray each other with water guns. 
• Camp out in the yard, or elsewhere. 
• Go for a picnic. 
• See local sights you haven't gone to before, then write reviews and put them online. 
• Take your kids fishing. 
• Do crafting outside.
• Cool off in air-conditioned spaces like shopping malls, cinemas, local aquariums, or whatever else you can think of. 
• Find free activities for kids and see if they are any good.
• Take your kids on a "ghost hunt" at a local forest or park, or do one at home.
• Eat ice cream. Make healthy home-made ones. 

Surviving The School Holidays

Don't Neglect Your Own Needs

Happier kids make for happier parents! Children who have lots of activities to look forward to will be excited, rather than bored — and we all know that real boredom induces poor behavior and creates kids who want to spend all day looking at a screen. Are you planning on doing some of the activities we mentioned, or did you come up with your own summer fun ideas? The school holidays will be infinitely easier. You'll be amazed to see that simple fun things truly help you strengthen that bond with your kids. 

Parents who are hosting sleepover parties can ask others to do the same. This way, you may get some much-needed alone time with your other half.  Plan to get together with friends you haven't seen for a while, make a list of books you really want to read and then do it, take a cooking class, or sign up for yoga, tae kwon do, or something else you have been hoping to do for a while. You deserve it!

Ask For Help

Your children have been working hard in school all year (hopefully), and it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that their days should be filled with all play and no work now. What's really valuable about summer holidays is the change in routine they represent, however. Your kids will still get that much needed mental rest if you ask them to help you cook, clean, and share in your other responsibilities. 

In fact, the summer holidays might just be the perfect time to teach your children the life skills they may not otherwise have the chance to master — including the concept that helping someone else is truly satisfying.

Screen Time Is Your Enemy

Perhaps you'll be working from home this summer, perhaps you have other responsibilities, or perhaps it's just too hot to go outside. It is frighteningly easy to let laptops, tablets and smart phones eat up those school holidays. Don't fall into this trap! If you need to keep your kids occupied indoors while you are busy with other things, handing them a book or some paper and pencils is always a better idea. The more screen time kids get, the more they'll want and the worse their behavior will be. 

See Also: Ten Laws That Will Help You Survive Holidays with Your Family

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

Finally, don't sweat the small stuff. You will have small and silly arguments. Your kids won't always do what you asked, and they might do things you told them not to. They'll moan about not being able to go to an activity, or about going to an event they are not looking forward to. This kind of everyday family stuff can send you right into a "negative feedback loop" — not something that will enhance your summer fun.

Many parents find that positive feedback is just as contagious. If bad behavior occurs, address it and then get on with life. Focus on the things you can praise, and you will create a great atmosphere that will get you all through the summer in one piece. The summer holidays will be over soon, and you'll probably be sad when that happens.