Day 2 of Summer Break- crazy yet?

So it is finally here, the time we begin looking forward to in January, SUMMER BREAK!  I know this is also a time that can make parents crazy.  Here are some tips to keep your sanity and still have a little fun.

1. MAKE A SCHEDULE - remember your kids have been on a tight schedule for the last 10 months.  They have eaten at the same time, awaken at the same time, played at the same time, even peed at the same time.  So forgive your kids if they wander around aimlessly claiming to be board, they are and they have no idea what to do.  Sit down with your kids this week and make a schedule together.  Plan times where they have to do chores, have their room clean/bed made by a certain time, homework (YES, I'll get to that further down this list), lunch, TV, play with your siblings and free time.  This can help them with the "what to do" attitude.  I even have a wake up time.  I know it is summer break but come on, nobody needs to sleep past 10am.  My house, my rules, you may feel different about that. 
2. SET RULES - Our favorite dog whisperer has a behavior theory, set rules, boundaries and limitations.  I know it is for dogs, but kids need these too.  Without rules, they have no idea sometimes that leaving their wet bathing suit on the bedroom floor is a bad thing.  Make sure things that will make you crazy are prevented.  For example, it makes me insane when they ask 100x to go swimming in 10 minutes.  I want to blow up, for real.  So we have a rule this summer, if you ask more than 2x you get 10 minutes out of the pool when we do go.  I'll keep you posted on how that goes.  If you are tired of picking up the Pop-Tart wrapper off the den floor, make a rule about trash about your house.  Kids have to have rules boundaries and limitations. 
3. ASK THEM TO SET SUMMER GOALS - My oldest had her goals set for her by the high school with the summer work that was assigned.  She may have some other stuff she wants to do but 8000 pages of Spanish work ought to keep her busy.  Help your little ones decide, do they want to read 10 books or learn to ride their bike.  Maybe they want to build a Lego spaceship or learn to play an instrument.  Whatever it is, help them achieve that goal.  My personal summer goal is to potty train my 2 year old.  If I have that done in August I will be over the moon, if not, well I'll still be changing 2 boys diapers and it will be OK. 
4. PLAN OUTINGS -  Don't just stay at home all day, do something.  Whether it is finding a pool to get into, heading to the park, going to a museum, DO SOMETHING!  We try to go to the zoo at least 1 time.  I get a membership each year, with my family it pays for itself with 1.5 visits!  Take lunch orders from your kids the night before, pack it all up while they are still sleeping and hit the road early.  With the zoo, I always ask them the #1 thing they each want to see.  I make sure to see those things and anything else is just gravy.  Another thing is kidsbowlfree.com.  Go to  kidsbowlfree.com/memphisbowl and sign up, your kids can bowl 2 free games each day all summer long.  Eat before you go and have fun.  Also, the Pink Palace, you can sign up to go there for free all summer.  Another thing we plan to do in the next week or so is head downtown.  My sweet friend suggested it to me yesterday, including taking a trolley trip around downtown for $.50 each!  We will be doing that no doubt.  Go to Graceland, see a classic movie at the Orpheum, free Sunset on the Square concerts on Thursday and free bluegrass every Friday on the Collierville Town Square, 1/2 price shakes at Sonic after 8pm, the water park.  It is easy to get out and do something and reduce the occurrence of cabin fever. 
5. CHORES - Yes, in a family the size of mine they have to do chores, but even if you have 1 kid, they need to be doing chores EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Just this morning my 2 year old took out the recycles and then put the boxes at the street.  They can unload the dishwasher (I help my 8 and under kids with this), vacuum the floors, wipe down counters, clean the bathroom, fold and put away towels, help with dinner, clean microwave, Windex the front and back door, or take out the trash.  Please, I beg of you on behalf of their future college roommates and spouse, make them do chores.  Do not turn into your child's maid.  They can not simply sit and watch TV or play video games while you vacuum under their feet.  Even if you have a house keeper come each week, get your kids to help. 
6. NO ELECTRONICS ALLOWED TIME -  I will be instituting no electronics time at our house.  I have a love hate relationship with IPods and cell phones.  I hate double screening, that is when you have your phone in your hand playing a game while you are watching something on TV.  Set a time of day where they are not allowed to have any type of electronic device in front of their face.  Force your kids to speak to you and have eye contact while they do so.  Please, I ask this on behalf of the future spouse (again) and their future boss. 
7. PLAN DINNERS - Sit down with the whole family and plan out dinners.  I do the whole month, some people can only do a week or 2 in advance.  Make sure you have the ingredients by Sunday.  This will save you running to Wal-Mart 3 times in the week or eating too much $5 Hot & Ready.  Have your kids involved with the preparation of each meal and desserts.  They need to have some ownership in dinner.  We have a spinning dinner job chart that consist of the following, silverware on table (that is the person who prays), drinks, plates and clean up.  Each night it spins to another person.  With all this said, I told my kids I will happily cook dinner and help with lunch each day but I will not help with breakfast.  They are on their own this summer! 
8. HOMEWORK - Yes, I make my kids do homework all summer. The closer to August the less they do but they still do it frequently.  The most important thing they need to do is continue reading and working on math facts.  Go to the library each week and help them pick out books they would enjoy reading.  Whether it is a dumb series, historical fiction or the summer craze, find something to read.  Have a time of day where they all sit down quietly and do their homework.  TLSBooks.com, has some great worksheets to print out for all grade levels and subjects.  Google algebra worksheets or language arts worksheets, you will find tons of stuff.  Also, Dollar Tree has some cute workbooks as does Wal-Mart and Target.  Sometimes you can find this stuff in August, buy then and save for summer.  Bust out some good old flashcards too!  They will hate you for it but are you not out to be their friend, right!
9. SNACKS - Keep easy to self serve snacks in the house, but of course limit how often they can have them.  Grapes, apples, bananas and baby carrots are wonderful healthy nature's convenience food.  Limit intake of caffeine items, this will cause hyperactivity which will equal trouble.   Instead of Little Debbies, have them make their own brownies or cupcakes.  Set boundaries on food, it can get expensive really quick! 
10. CHURCH - I can't imagine life in the summer without my church family.  They give me something to look forward to each Wednesday and Sunday.  I can be sure I will see a friend at least 2 days a week and so will my kids.  They give us all fun activities to look forward to all summer.  If you don't have a church family, I'd love to see you!  Check out backyardkidsclub.com for a neighborhood Bible club close to your house in Collierville.  If you don't live close, I am sure there is a wonderful church close to you, full of fun summer activities. 

The bottom line is plan ahead to avoid any boredom and trouble.  Don't just sit around while everyone in your house gets their next high score on Flappy Birds.  Spend time with each other, have fun, don't scream and don't get sunburned.  After all, isn't that what you were looking forward to anyway?