June 10, 2022
top trending topics
šøĀ Feeling like the default parent? Here’s how you can talk to your spouseĀ about it.
š£ļø Increasing the communication in your home is possible.
š Thinking you may have parental burnout?
šĀ Taking a breakĀ can often benefit both mom & child.
š¼Ā First-time parents, here are some tips for you.
tips & tricks for growth
tips for surviving summer break
Itās time for camps, vacations, and activities. Kids love summer. On the other hand, parents may not always be the biggest fan. Schedules change, and routines shift. Summertime often involves a lot of calendar juggling and planning.
Summertime doesnāt have to stress you out, though.
Summer survival tips:Ā
š Put a calendar in your kitchen or living room that everyone can see and keep up with.
If your summer looks like ours, there are lots of camps and activities to keep track of. The best way to make sure youāre all on the same page is to post a highly visible calendar. Get creative with colors for each family member. Just remember to make it simple enough that it doesnāt get overwhelming.
āSchedule a weekly family meeting.
Summer schedules can change from week to week. A great practice is to schedule a weekly family meeting to discuss whatās coming up. Sunday evening could be an ideal time. Include the whole family and get input from the kids.
šAdjust your school year routines, but donāt throw them out.
Kids need structure. Just because itās summer doesnāt mean you should throw all the routines out the window. If youāre like us, you still have a work schedule for the summer. Bedtimes may look different, and morning routines may shift, but structure brings security for your kids. We push bedtime back during the summer, and the kids usually wake up a little later. Just remember that youāll have to adjust back to school year routines in a couple of months.
keep your marriage strong this summer
The school year is crazy busy, but at least itās consistent. Summer schedules are a little more challenging. Are any other parents feeling the crunch?
Summertime can add more stress to your marriage as well. Focusing on our relationship can get lost in the frenzy if we arenāt careful. But it doesnāt have to be that way. You can keep your marriage strong over the summer, too.
Here are a few ways to get you started:
š Make time for intimacy.
Before you put the calendars away, go ahead and schedule some time to get intimate. Wait a minute! Isnāt sex supposed to be spontaneous? Sure, but if you have little kids, you know the reality.
šĀ Share a hobby or activity.
Identify at least one common hobby or activity and make time to do that together. You may need to break out the calendar and schedule it depending on the activity. But there may be hobbies you can do at home while the kids play. This doesnāt have to be a family activity, but it can be if you both agree that youāll enjoy it just as much.
šĀ Daily check-ins.
As youāre going in different directions, getting the kids places, and working, it can be easy to spend less time talking as a couple. Carve out some time each day to check in with each other. Maybe itās over coffee in the morning. Perhaps itās 30 minutes outside together at the end of each workday.
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Caroline Henry,Ā wife to her husband of 3 years, Will, new momma to a little girl,Ā and the ContentĀ Strategist here at First Things First.Ā Take a peek at her recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out š:
š @thetireddad on Instagram is hysterical and so relatable! I’m constantly sending his videos to my husband for a good laugh.
š² The Maple App can be a great resource for keeping up with household tasks! It’s an easy list-maker designed for busy families to share tasks better – and strengthen your relationship along the way.
āļø Kids starting to get bored on summer break? Check out this list of boredom busters! (Bonus: write out this list and make it a challenge for your kids to check off a certain number of these activities by the end of the summer!)
share the love
Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we’ve packed in here? Go ahead andĀ share it with them!