School is out and summer is in full force! Personally, I love the first week of summer because everyone sleeps in a little later (or I pretend they do and pull the covers over my head a bit longer), and the morning rush transforms into a carefree laziness. When that first week of bliss fades away, the heat settles in and the word “bored” floats around the house, we set out to plan out the best summer for our kids to cut out any chance for boredom. My kids eyes lit up last week when they saw the colorful schedule of Vacation Bible Schools (yes, plural!), dance camps, cheer camps, swim parties and more!

Then I realized looking at the summer fun schedule, I forgot about me. Many times as parents we focus on making sure our kids have a really fun summer, but what about us?!

We spend our time cleaning up sticky popsicle drips, washing endless loads of wet towels, driving them from this camp to that pool party. Whether you are a full time working mom, or a stay at home mom – I think we can all agree on one thing – we want to enjoy summer, too!

So, how can moms have a fun summer, too?

A great thing to remember above anything else – God is a fun, relational God. And we are made in His image. We work hard and rest well so we can enjoy this life we have. We tend to overwork ourselves and put too much pressure on being the “best parents”. God created the beautiful world around us to enjoy, so we need to take the time to enjoy it.

Here are a few ideas to make sure YOU are enjoying summer just as much as your kids:

Slow down. You work so hard all year long, let this be an opportunity to slow down and pace yourself more. Cut a few things out of your schedule to enjoy more family time. If you can, take a few extra days off work to plan some fun days with the kids.

Don’t just plan the fun – enjoy it! Taking the kids to the pool for the thousandth time? Set your book down and go do a cannonball off the diving board. You may surprise your preteen and embarrass them to no end – but they will never forget it! How can you truly enjoy your summer watching from the sidelines?!

Take some time for you. Plan a few girls nights – go see a movie, or even take a quick weekend away! Get a sitter and go to the waterpark with your husband, without the kids. Surprise yourself with something you haven’t thought about doing in years. Just because you’re a parent doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy life!

Be adventurous. How can you think outside the box to have a little more fun? Plan a water balloon attack or have ice cream sundaes for dinner. Take a camping trip or go star gazing. Consider what your kids enjoy and introduce them to some things that you love. You will grow closer if you take the time to know each other better. 

When you decide you are going to have a fun summer,  your kids will have even more fun! Every time I step away from my tasks to really enjoy the fun with my kids, they are so grateful and it fills their love tank. These are the memories I want to create that my children will always look back on.

Alright mama, now go fill those water balloons and break out that swimsuit – it’s going to be a fun summer!!