Summertime: Our Slowed Down Routine

Sharing our essentials for a relaxing summer break.

From August to the end of May we are in what feels like a constant rush. I wake up early to get a morning workout in, some “me time” and then it is hustle to get 4 kids + me out of the house for school and work by 7 am. From drop off to teaching all day to sports practices in the evening and squeezing in family time, homework, and bathing by bedtime is EXHAUSTING to say the least. Once summertime comes around our pace slows down drastically. Our routine becomes much more slow, less scheduled and structured and enjoy more of life’s little moments. Here are all the things I find essential for a relaxing summer break:

What I prioritize during summertime:

• Boredom- creativity flows from this
• Water play- pool, splashpads, the backyard sprinklers or hose…anything!
• Homemade sun tea- is it even summertime without this??
• Slow coffee sipping mornings- Teachers can only enjoy this on a break.
• More homemade meals and trying new recipes!

Non negotiables during the summertime:

Exercise!

I still wake up before the kids and get a workout in. My mental health is much better when I get that time in. Yes, I take rest days, but walking on the treadmill is always good for me on off days too. I also make sure my kids get in exercise. The younger boys go outside and play. They are at the age where natural exercise just happens. They run and chase each other or play with the sports balls. My older children are encouraged to do some type of 30 minutes of exercise if they don’t have sports practice that day. Whatever it is they must be moving their body for at least 30 minutes.

I also try to prioritize more walks during the evenings if time allows. With the Texas heat, you either have to be outside in the morning or evening. We spend time outside most nights as a family with eating on the patio, hang out and talk or the kids play outside. If time allows then I will go for a walk to get some extra movement in!

Rest!

I am tired all year long and I know my kids feel it too…maybe not as much as me who is juggling everything…but they are still tired. The constant demands of motherhood, teaching and just trying to be human-haha! We enjoy slow mornings with no rush, coffee sipping, cartoons, and playtime.

Creativity!

With schedules slowing down this allows time for the kids to bring out their creativity. They use inspiration from Pinterest or create their own ideas. Boredom sparks creativity. Don’t be afraid of boredom for your kids. To me boredom is good for them to figure out what they want to do with their free time.

Some days are more structured than others. On other days there are overdue doctor appointments, dentist appointments, shopping days and library days. I always try to make sure my children get an input into what we put on our summer bucket list. Each one gets a list or shares with me what they want to do during the summer break and we make sure to do our best with crossing everything off.

Getting into a summer rhythm isn’t easy in the beginning. It takes a few weeks to get back into the slowing down routine and seeing what works and what doesn’t. usually by the end of the second week a routine gets established and we continue it until it is back to school.

Download the bucket list printable PDF.

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