Summer Is Coming: How I’m Planning to Survive Summer Vacation With 4 Kids

Forgive the Game of Thrones reference, but…

Summer is coming.

In fact, it’s practically here! (Okay, I think that one might be a Grinch reference haha.)

My kids have been counting down to the last day of school since the beginning of June.

My partner and I, on the other hand, have been counting up. As in, counting up how many extra hours every day we’re about to have to entertain three older kids and one baby, all at the same time.

Somewhere along the way, summer became another thing parents are expected to optimize.

So, if you too are about to be in the summer vacation trenches, here are some of the things we do every summer that help make the time a little bit easier for everyone.

#1. I Continue to Pack Lunches

This may seem counterintuitive. And it doesn’t happen every day.

But most mornings, I lay out what the kids can eat during the day.

I even use lunchboxes.

They get snacks like fruit and granola bars, juice, and a main lunch meal that they can eat throughout the day when they’re hungry.

This is a little bit of extra work for me, but you know what it stops from happening?

“Mom, I’m huuunnngggrrryyy!”

“Mom, can I have a snack?”

“Mom, what’s for lunch?”

And various other versions of those questions, approximately 300 million times per day.

Instead, they have their food for the day already prepared, and I don’t have to make a big lunch for everyone every day.

One hundred percent worth the ten minutes it takes in the morning.

#2. We Have Both Mandatory Outside Time and Mandatory “Upstairs Time” Every Day

For at least one hour every day, the children must go outside. No devices allowed. Just the backyard and their imaginations.

My daughter loves this. She’s outside half the day anyway.

The older two boys, not so much. They’d much rather be little video-gaming couch trolls all summer if we’d let them.

We also have mandatory quiet upstairs time every afternoon. During this time, they can play quietly or read books.

Now, I’d like to tell you that these hours of the day when we banish the children to tasks outside or upstairs are for their benefit.

“We’re encouraging their independent play skills.”

“They’re practicing their reading skills!”

“They play so well outside using their imaginations!”

But honestly?

This is a pure survival hack for us haha.

The timing of outside time and upstairs time varies each day to coincide with whatever point in the day either my partner or I have completely reached our limit and need a break.

One or both of us will eventually declare, “Outside time!” in the loudest voice possible, and then sit in shell-shocked silence for a few minutes when things finally quiet down.

When you’re a parent in a small-child jungle, you do what you have to do shrug.

#3. We Have Signed Them Up for Summer Activities

We are very fortunate here that there is a youth camp about 45 minutes away that is free for children. We sent all three kids last year, and the boys will be attending again this year.

It’s a two-week day camp with activities, swimming lessons, and more.

(Our daughter isn’t going because this year she’s attending a reading camp during that time. Since reading is something she continues to struggle with a little, we decided that was a bigger priority for her.)

We feel incredibly lucky to have access to this camp because paying for summer camp for three kids is wildly outside our budget at the moment.

I think summer camp experiences are wonderful memories for children to have, plus the swimming lessons alone are invaluable.

So for two weeks in the summer, we will drive the children 30 minutes to meet a school bus that takes them to camp, and then pick them up every evening. Totally worth the time and gas.

They are also signed up for baseball every week.

Getting them out of the house and engaging with their friends and other kids is an important part of keeping the little goblins exhausted by bedtime.

#4. We Continue to Enforce a Strict Bedtime Routine

The children still have to go upstairs at 8:00 p.m., then it’s lights out at 8:30 p.m.

We try to keep their days full enough that they’re actually tired at that time, and we also think that not deviating too much from the school-year routine they’re used to is important for their health and sleep habits.

Now yes, we are a lot more flexible about bedtime in the summer. Some nights maybe we’re having a backyard fire that keeps them up late roasting marshmallows.

Or maybe we’ll all be up late watching a movie together.

But for the most part, day to day, bedtime rules apply.

#5. We Try to Have a Relaxed Attitude Toward Summer

Sometimes summer feels like a lot of pressure for parents.

What fantastic summer vacation are you taking your kids on this year?

What amazing camp are they going to?

What experiences are you filling their days with that they can brag about when they go back to school?

That all feels like a lot of pressure to those of us who can’t take our families on Disneyland adventures or elaborate RV camping trips.

But we remind ourselves daily how fortunate our kids are, and we try to be easy on ourselves.

The children are blessed to be growing up in cottage country, one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

We have family close by with lakefront property, so they get to go swimming almost every day.

They have a huge backyard to play in and a park within walking distance.

And they have siblings and friends to play with nearby.

Those are the makings of a great summer for kids.

All the other stuff is just nice to have.

The basics are where the memories are made.

The family time and adventures they create for themselves.

So, if you are a parent about to head into summer vacation with one, two, or even more kids, I wish you luck.

And patience.

And quiet.

And maybe wine. Wine is good.

And like with all things in life, this too shall pass haha.

School will start before we know it, and then we’ll be worried again about new shoes, backpacks, and packing lunches every day.

So let’s agree to enjoy summer while we can.

Our kids are only little for such a short time. And although I will not tell you to “enjoy every moment” because we both know that’s impossible…

I will tell you to find moments to enjoy. Memories to hold onto.

And keep a bottle of wine in the fridge.

Just in case wink.

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Before you go, I’d love to hear from you!

What are your best summer survival tips for parents? Do you have any traditions, routines, or clever hacks that make summer break a little easier in your house?

Leave a comment below and let me know. I’m always looking for new ideas, and I know other parents reading along will appreciate them too.

And if you enjoy honest conversations about motherhood, parenting, books, and trying to keep all the plates spinning without losing your mind, be sure to join my email list. You’ll get new blog posts, bookish content, product updates, and the occasional reminder that none of us really know what we’re doing and we’re all just figuring it out as we go.

I’d love to have you along for the ride.

If you’re looking for more summer survival ideas, I’ve been putting together some lists in my Amazon storefront featuring parenting favorites, backyard activities, and kid-friendly finds that help keep everyone entertained during summer break. Feel free to take a look and see if anything might work for your family too!

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