Summer is here, and with many Americans either still working remotely or working remotely on a permanent basis, summer means not only being productive during your homework time but also focusing on your kiddos while they’re out of school for the summer.
By now, you’ve probably already got your work and home life balance scenario worked out, but maybe you’re looking for ways to optimize the time you either have with your kids or the time they’re spending at home during the summer. Here are some of our tips for ways to keep kids occupied while you’re working remotely.
Create a Schedule and Stick to It
During the summer months, it can be easy to slide back into a season of relaxation, staying up late, and sleeping in every day. And while there are certainly times and places for living life in a more laid-back sort of way, research has shown that kids who have a summer schedule adapt better and perform better at school when school rolls back around at the end of the summer.
Depending on what interests your kids have, a summer schedule may change from home to home, but the important thing is that they get up at a reasonable time each day, start the day on a schedule, and stay consistent with it throughout the week.
Keep the Kids from Sliding Away in the Summer
Research has shown time and time again that school-aged children lose somewhere around 25% of the progress they’ve made in math and reading over the course of the summer if those skills aren’t sharpened throughout their “off time”. As a parent, part of your summer schedule and organization could very well be to stimulate your kids with math and reading to keep their skills and minds sharp.
Depending on how old your child is, you can keep their minds polished with simple worksheets, mind games, and YouTube channels dedicated to summer knowledge and mental stimulation. As little as an hour of time dedicated to brain training each day or a summer reading list will help hedge those memory losses during the course of the summer months.
Establish Summer Chores, Projects, or Tasks
Maybe you already have a daily or weekly chores list for your kids, but summer can be especially tough to keep your kids busy with an all-day routine, so consider putting a little more on their plate throughout the summer. Obviously, don’t overwork your kids, but by establishing goals, tasks that can be completed progressively, and other projects, your kids will be sure to stay busy all summer long.
For most families, there are plenty of simple home-based projects and maintenance tasks that can be performed with little to no supervision while you take care of your at-home work. If that’s not your style, then consider having your kids complete a summer-long project of their (or your) choosing for added stimulation, planning, and the satisfaction of completing something.
Plan Sittervising Activities
Sittervising is a term coined to combine babysitting and supervision but takes the more hands-off approach by allowing your kids adequate autonomy while letting you loosely stay involved in their activities.
Scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, sidewalk chalk, Legos, or playing at the park are great ways to sittervise your children. While some of these activities may take a little more planning on your part for the work-from-home aspect, you can certainly use your home-work balance to keep the kids occupied and supervised at the same time!
