Summer Schedule {Tips for Making the Most of the Season}

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I read a question the other day as the summer months are upon us.

“There are only 18 childhood summers. how will you make this one count?” 

And the nostalgic glance over the summers that have already marked my heart with them pressed against the ones yet to travel and the answer felt simple. I will apply presence in the significant weeks that we are given and keep simplicity as a core trait of authenticity with my people. 

One thing that I have discovered on my motherhood journey is that my children do not need grandiose acts just to feel connection with me and that the simple interactions of time together speaks loudest to their memories of heart than any event I plan. 

summer

This particular summer, I feel drawn to guide them on a journey of HEART as we walk through our week with anticipation for presence not only with our family, but with an awareness to not overstimulate our schedule with grandiose moves after the next. 

Being a business owner and applying some workstation times within my weeks as well, I decided to create this summer schedule that gives us days of investment focus together and space of movement for the pace to be where we need it each week. This will also give way for me to schedule individual time during the day where I can invest in work needs and each of my children can be renewed in quiet time. If naps are what they choose during that hour, then I am all for it! 

You can print off this summer schedule and use creativity within your home to design the type of daily investments you choose to make happen with the five-day focus in mind. 

  • Print off the summer schedule to hang up someone in your home 
  • We have a family meeting on Sundays where we talk through the week and make a few plans on what is going on. I will use this time to discuss the different days and make a plan weekly on what pace we need the week to be based off of the schedule. 
  • This list is intended as a guide, but not a rigid place of stress of “have to” if your week shifts (ex: vacations/summer camps). I love its flexibility of doing it as it fits you. 
Summer Schedule

Meet the Day Monday

I love using Mondays in the summer to step into our week and reset off the weekend and give space to plan forward for the week. It is a day where I use journaling, meditation, positive affirmations and to guide any busy moments from weekend plans into the week with a grace-filled transition. I do not pack Mondays with a high schedule but like to leave it fluid for whatever flow needs to happen. 

Assess what your weekend pace was like for each of you and allow this day to meet you where your family needs it to be. Use it to set your home for the week with some house chores and setting to-do lists for the week.

Use it as a day to move freely and give yourself some meaningful moments in your day to simply just be if needed. You could designate 20-minute “mom and me play sessions” with each of your kids at your home and this provides a great source of reprieve you have together. 

Think of Others Tuesday

Kindness is an intentional act and doing things for others is a place where some planning needs to be applied to make it happen. 

Allow this day to give you the creativity and the investment to think of others as you bless through acts of service or words of affirmation. You could make a special treat to take to someone or plan a zoom call to cheer up someone needing a pick-me-up. There are endless possibilities on this day, which I love! 

Give this day the space to get kids connected to kind movements and gestures within their community and also thinking of the world at large. You could, at the beginning of summer, choose an organization to volunteer at and use this as a space to get your children involved in groups that are doing things to help others at large that you are passionate about. 

Wonder Somewhere Wednesday 

We are an adventurous crew and love getting out to explore and share moments together. Give some space for this day as you think through your summer and you can even make a summer bucket list of places that you want to explore together and things that you want to do. Water Wednesday can be part of this focus as well and would be a great pool day! 

Get kids to make a city map, highlighting the places you choose to adventure and check off each week. I love Great Parks of Hamilton County and the way you can map out each week with different hikes/play areas to check out. This would be fun to do with a group of friends and start a “wonder Wednesday” meet up crew to try out places together. 

Try It Out Thursday 

My crew LOVES trying new activities and yet it does not always feel the best time to do it. So I love having a day a week during this summer break to keep a list of new things they want to experience and have a place invested to do it. 

Use this day to create a running list of NEW things you want to experience together. Get creative on fun food menus for the day. Try out some fun science experiments and other learning opportunities. Pick up a new hobby or skill you are wanting to invest in this summer break. 

Friendship Friday 

I intend to use this day as friendship-building opportunities, both with people we are already connected with and with those who we may meet along the way and want to include to know better. 

Allow this day to bring you some spontaneity and fun as you gather your people together and invest in some friendship building. Use this as a space to be inclusive and meet up with people you do not know as well and give space to extend friendship to others.

If you have someone who can help you while you plan one-on-one dates with your kids and invest in your friendship with them. This can be a day to take one kid at a time out for a special treat with just you! Or do some sibling friendship-building activity together. 

Happy Summer LIVING with your people making memory-invested days count!

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trishia
Hi, my name is Trishia and something that I value about my story is how my heart is outstretched throughout the world and I have many "homes" that fuel my soul. Being born and raised in Alabama, my southern roots remain a deep part of me. Living in New Orleans and then relocating to Cincinnati, post Hurricane Katrina, I learned how being exposed to culture and diversity can build empathy into a person. Married a generous, humble, hard-working man, Brett, from Cincinnati and then later moved to Kenya, Africa where our years spent working overseas has shaped my soul in more ways than I can articulate. We are now back in Cincinnati, investing in building a staffing company, and after 17 years of marriage are raising a 12 year old son, an 11 year old daughter, and a 10 year old son. Jesus is my anchor; I love quality time, sharing heart to hearts, traveling the world remains a passion; witnessing community loving one another well encourages me; photography is a lens I use to invest into the hearts of others at T Ralston Photography {www.framethejourney.com}

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