From Chaos to Calm -- Part 3 by Karen L. Alaniz
Allowing for Unstructured Time
Just because a schedule is helpful to your child does not mean you have to do away with spontaneous activities altogether. Think of his school day; though the day is fairly routine, there is time planned for spontaneous activities. At recess, for example, he may have 30 minutes scheduled in, but he can choose from many activities within that timeframe. The same can be true of his summer routine. Plan some time each day where he can choose from a variety of activities. Perhaps he gets an hour or two after lunch to play; he may swim in a backyard pool, invite friends over, or have some computer time. You can use the same tactic when planning for regular outings; he may choose to visit Grandma, go to the park, or for a bike ride.
It may seem like a lot of work to create and then implement a summer schedule. But the rewards are immense. By front-loading your time now, you can have a more relaxing and enjoyable summer. Your days may not be stress-free, but they will run more smoothly. While your child’s lazy days of summer, may not look identical to the ones you enjoyed growing up, he will be enjoying some of the very same experiences you had. You are creating today, what he’ll want for his children tomorrow. And that is a wonderful way to spend the summer months ahead!
