It’s always better to go in with a plan. How will you schedule your summer days? Your weeks? What are your goals for the summer as a whole? For you and for your family? These are some of the questions we are tackling in week #1 of the Summer Survival Series.

Watch the video for the full discussion… or listen to the MP3 file:

Here are a few tips from our webinar:

• List all of the required activities and events and put them on the calendar. These are non-negotiable items (weddings, family reunions, sports tryouts, etc.). Ours this year are: my husband’s work commitments, Hoopfest, high school soccer tryouts, football tryouts, summer camp counseling for my daughter.
• Brainstorm and make a list of those activities you want to take priority on the summer schedule. These are the fun items – the “memory makers.”
  For example, we are prioritizing our middle son adventure camp with Dad, a week at the lake with our entire extended family, I’m blocking out July for lake time, family camp, and a visit from close friends.
• Put the priorities on the calendar.   And…are you ready for this? DON’T MOVE THEM. If you’ve blocked out a week to be at home with the family for a stay-cation, then when your college roommate asks if she can come for a visit during those dates, you say “No, we are on vacation.” Make them a priority in your mind and don’t let other engagements shove them off the calendar.
• Ask the kids what is important to them and put some of those items on the schedule. Notice, this comes after the family priorities. I’m all for group decision making, but parents see the full picture and what may need to take priority.
• Block out free time.  You may be someone who likes unscheduled free time in the summer. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but block out some days that are “scheduled” unscheduled time. These are reserved for the lemonade stand, ice cream truck, capture the flag, outdoor movie kind of days. For us, we have some great bike trails that only open in the summer. These are on our calendar, along with some other local outings.

Main point: Put your priorities on the calendar & don’t move them for anything!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER SURVIVAL SERIES, GO HERE