Executive Contributor | Self-Care |Holly Rose Holland
First, you are not alone. You have experienced the overwhelm of the end of the year, applies for both kids and adults. The last month has been a blur. You have attended windups and graduations. The kids wrote exams, returned the textbooks, and the lockers are empty. Soccer ended for another season and at least one person in the family has had to say goodbye to someone that is moving.
Now, you can catch your breath and you think about how the kids are going to need something to do all day, every day. Now the guilt sets in for even thinking this. All parents have had these thoughts. Oh, I should have done that last week before they were home all day. What are fun things for the kids to do while staying out of trouble?
Having fun activities to do outside when the weather is great is one suggestion. Gardening is one thing kids enjoy doing on their own or helping with the family garden. There are quantum self-care benefits to gardening. Fun in the outdoors, watching the garden grow, learning new skills, fresh air, and the opportunity to ground in nature are all self-care. Planting something that grows quickly is a good place to start. Pick something the kids like to eat also, to keep them motivated.
Explore board games with the kids this summer. Do you have games but have not played them for a while? Laughter is the first thought when I remember playing games as a kid and with my own kids. Yes, the laughter that hurts your stomach. Self-care is the fun and time spent with people you enjoy.
Going to the library is even more fun with the assortment of items and activities available now. A good option for the hottest part of the day. Self-care is borrowing a book, movie, game, or using the computer for 3D printing.
Whatever you decide to do with the kids, the summer will go fast. Push the doubt aside and keep your self-care vibration high every day. Most important of all create memories, no matter how small, this summer.
