Making the Most of the End of Summer

Let’s face it, the summer months are starting to take a toll on us both physically and mentally and August is a tough month.  We are trying to make the most of the warm temperatures, but the weather has not always cooperated. The children’s schedules have been in constant flux and summer camps sessions are starting to end. We are still trying to get in a last summer vacation or summer activity while we still can, but recreational hot spots are full of people and are busy.  It can often feel like we have too much going on and this is a sign that we need to slow down and remember to enjoy the moment.

The Children

July is nice because our children are used to their summer routine; however, the patterns they are used to usually change in August.  Many summer camps and programs end and there is typically a gap between their conclusion and the start of the school year.   This means we need to find some sort of childcare.  There are countless choices and clearly every child is different.  Our older children can be trusted with some freedom, but clearly younger ones need more supervision.  Some camps offer later sessions while plenty of organizations have programs to help bridge the gap, but this does cause a change in routine that can throw us off.   Additionally, many of us have large families that can be called upon to help navigate childcare in this time. The hardest part is making the arrangements.  The best way to ensure an easy transition is to spend some time organizing and scheduling.  This way we can avoid a conflict of interest and problems that can distract us from other important responsibilities. 

Additionally, we must start to think about what we need to do to prep everyone for school in the fall.  We must get them their school supplies, many of them will need new clothes and shoes in larger sizes, and the worst part is hearing what they want vs what they need.  Children often do not fully understand the concept of money and as we all know they ask for everything.  They get mad when we tell them no and complain about almost everything. It can be very hard to explain that we cannot afford to buy them everything, especially because we wish we could.  Just remember there is no such thing as a perfect parent, all we can do is the best we can with what we have to work with.  They will understand and appreciate us one day when they get older. 

Final Summer Activities

If you have traveled recently or in the past during this time period you realize that airports are busy, truck stops are crowded, and destination locations are bustling with people.  Everyone likes to use the end of summer to get in one last hora.  There is nothing wrong with this, but we must account for it when we have our fun.  We need to remember to allocate more time for travel, waiting in lines, and for any delay caused by crowds.  Simple things like going into stores will take longer, camp sites and other quiet areas will have more people and noise, and places like playgrounds and pools will have the largest crowds of the year.  This is not a bad thing but is something we need to be prepared for.  To get the best spots, we need to arrive early, to get the merchandise we want, we need to have it accessible, and to be able to afford everything, we must be diligent and make smart choices.  That being said, we want to make sure we do not miss out on all the seasonal activities that end soon.  Take some time to think about what is important and how these events work with our schedules.  We can get the most out of August but only if we have a strong plan and schedule.

Remember Other Responsibilities

It is easy to get too involved with family responsibilities and the desire to have a great summer and forget about our professional obligations.  The world does not stop for our scheduling conflicts and our supervisors do not care about our desires.  Sure, they want us to have fun and live our best lives, but it is their job to keep us focused and on track.  We must not let summers end distract us from work.  We still need to get our professional tasks done no matter how busy we get. Just like in our personal life we need to allocate the proper amount of time, and we must plan appropriately.  We all need to achieve a perfect work life balance.  This will be a challenge until retirement, but this challenge is worth tackling.  We need to ensure we are properly committed to both family and responsibility but not overcommitted to either. Take a little time every day, week, and month to evaluate what we need to do and what we want to do and consider what needs to happen to achieve success on both ends.  Mistakes will be made, and we are not perfect, but if we put in the effort things tend to work out well.

As we start to plan for the fall and the new school year, we must remember to make the most of the summertime we have left.  We need to make good memories and keep up with our jobs, we need to give our children some freedom while keeping them safe and properly supervised, and we need to get everything everyone needs without going bankrupt.  All of this can be done and can be done well with thoughtful planning and proper scheduling.  Enjoy the what is left of summer and let’s get set up for a great fall.