School’s Out! Keep the routine.

Your child is excited to sleep in, swim at the pool, and play more video games. Within two weeks, he will be bored and whining. He is missing the structure of a routine and seeing his friends every day. As the parent, you get to set his schedule. Keep a bedtime. It can be a little later than school nights, but still needs to be set and followed. You don’t want a irritable child simply because he didn’t get enough sleep.

Have activities for your child to participate where he can be around children his own age. He can join a sports team, take swimming lessons, attend sports camp, participate in nature activities, and sign up for an art class. Many towns plan fun for school-age children at  local parks.

Teens will benefit from a summer job. The summer before my senior year, I slept in every day until 1 pm. At night, I would sit outside my parents’ house talking with my friends and drinking pop until the late hours. Philosophically, we solved most of the world’s problems. When I returned to the school routine, I felt I had wasted my summer.

Working at a job or volunteering in a prospective career area can be educational. For example, a future veterinarian can help at a local vet clinic. Bathing and scooping poop is not glamorous, but it is all part of the process. The same teen can volunteer at a local animal rescue organization. For several summers, I volunteered for the Red Cross and taught hundreds of children how to swim. It only lasted half of the summer, but gave me a reason to get up in the morning.

Work with your child to come up with ideas for him to enjoy his summer by being active. You will both benefit. Have a fun summer!