Summer is here and with it comes a pile of mixed emotions for me. On one hand, I'm JAZZED that I no longer have to be at war with all the unmatched socks in my house or feel the need to deal with socks in general since we all wear sandals most days. And then there's the fact that I have three littles, five and under who can wage a much more intense "war" on me during these long summer months. But jokes aside, the summer is a sweet spot for us and I need to do more than just survive it.
While washing dishes and cleaning up a smashed PB&J sandwich off the floor, I somehow compiled my top three tips for surviving the summer with my kids. I'm no parenting expert and have already had my fair share of ROUGH days. But we've also had some really good ones! Good as in, ran through the sprinklers, frolicked in the park and ended with ice cream cones kind of days. The kind of days that are the essence of childhood.
So here are my Top 3 Tips For Surviving Summer With Kids:
1. Eat: But seriously. Eat meals through out the day. Not little bits and pieces of what's left on your kid's plates. Not random, mindless snacking but nourishing meals. I've found myself making my kids amazing lunches and dinners only to realize I couldn't remember what I put into my mouth that day. Shame on me! Shame on me for not caring for myself the way I care for my kids. It's not sacrificial, it's just dumb. The days that I intentionally eat (nothing fancy, just actual meals with some sort of nutritional value) I'm more energized (duh!) and my hormones aren't going crazy because I'm hangry. So make sure you eat and don't feel bad telling your kids no when they ask for a bite.
2. Do NOT Allow The Mood Of Your Children To Change YOUR Mood: Maybe this is a no brainer for most people, but it's always been a struggle for me. I wake up, motivated and ready to take on the day and then after the third meltdown from my 2 year old, I've thrown in the towel and feel like an emotional wreck. This is something I'm working to be SO intentional about. I can empathize and comfort WITHOUT allowing their mood to be my mood. I'm in control of how I feel and how I react.
3. Keep A Secret Stash Of Chocolate: The secret stash of chocolate (or your treat of choice) is the real MVP. It's a simple way to spoil yourself and say "hey, you're doing the dang thang. You deserve this."
So that's all I've got. I'll be over here surviving and hopefully thriving this summer! Wishing the same for you! May the odds be ever in your favor....