Note to Readers: Kids, towels, activities, marathon sleepovers….Ask a few moms a few weeks into the summer if they are relaxed or stressed out and you might be surprised to find out how quickly carefree days of summer turn into…..well you know! Ann knows too and I love here practical look at helping moms deal with summertime stress.

by Dr. Ann Gatty

It’s Summer! The kids are home, family parties are planned and the warm weather is forcing you to show more bare skin than you like. Your stress level rises to an all-time high. What you really need are some great ways to deal with stress and time management tips to help you cope with the seasonal activities. Often, summer stress is an unwanted consequence for many of your plans. From graduation parties, to family reunions, to entertaining kids all day to donning a bathing suit–summer can bring with it an unexpected level of stress. Since summer stress is extremely common, let’s identify some stress reducers and some time management tips that can help you deal with your days ahead. Lets find some strategies for you to be able to take a much needed break from time to time and maybe even enjoy a nap in a hammock!!

Stress Reducers and Time Management Tips for Dealing with Summer Stress

1. The Kids are Ever-Present.
Summer provides parents and their kids with a break from the school routine of homework, class projects, fund raisers and school lunches. But with kids have 3 months off from school, parents often find themselves combating kid-boredom that sets in all too quickly. Sibling spats can lead to tension and bickering. Houses often seem as though a tornado has hit and the door seems to constantly be swinging open and shut as kids run in and out grabbing another cookie, juice box or visiting the potty once again. A mother may feel she can’t keep up and can’t stay ahead of the laundry, food supply or house cleaning. Here are some stress reducers for mom:

• Write a set of daily chores that the kids contract to complete in order to have other privileges. Maybe they must tidy their rooms, make their beds, help with the laundry or put away dishes before they can be free to play with their friends.
• Keep the kids occupied. If the kids are not enrolled in summer camp or other kids programs, develop projects that they can work on during their hours of the day. When I visited my grandmother during the summer months, I would work on such projects as creating a book of pressed flowers found in the area, collecting flowers each day and pressing them, and then putting them on scrap book pages. I also had hand sewing projects one year, and another year I created an interior design scrapbook of a house I designed using photos clipped from magazines. Projects can keep kids occupied, give them a sense of accomplishment and be a stress reducing benefit for moms.

Here is a time management tip for Mom! Summer can be a time to teach kids new responsibilities and free up Mom’s time. Maybe the kids have matured enough to take responsibility for caring for the family pet, including feeding, grooming and exercising. Or maybe the kids can help with outdoor chores such as lawn mowing and weeding. As kids learn to contribute to the household, they also learn more about being responsible. This practice of being responsible will be helpful as your kids mature and assume even greater types of responsibility. Having kids share chores is a great stress reducer for moms.

You may find that using a bright new organizing journal will help you tame all of those summer activities, events and social gatherings that keep tumbling into your lap. Visit our article on Time Management Strategies to find other useful tips on staying organized in this busy season.

2. Family Outings are Scheduled.
Summer is a time when social events such as family reunions and graduation parties are planned. People have more freedom to travel with work vacation allotments and kids off from school. One time management tips is to not over-commit what you will be responsible for completing by yourself. Solicit the help of others and delegate, delegate, delegate. One stress reducer for you when planning is to not cram as as many activities as possible into the event which leaves you exhausted and feeling stressed.

3. Build Your Own Vacation at Home.
Sometimes dealing with summer stress can be reduced by building a mini vacation that takes place at home. The family break is less expensive, without the financial burden of traveling and staying in hotels. Just build in some relaxing activities and enjoyable meals and leave work at the office. Maybe your family enjoys camping and pitching a tent in the back yard can be a source of entertainment. Or maybe you have invested in a pool. The important goal is to stop the hectic daily routine and enjoy your own home.

Bio: Dr. Ann Gatty shares her strategies to help women balance their work and personal lives as they navigate through life transitions. Her website stress-management-4-women.com offers relevant information and on-line coaching opportunities to address the unique aspects of women’s lives. Ann can also be found on Twitter.

Summertime is a great time to introduce your family to relaxation and balance. The Indigo Dreams Series is made to relax you and your children. Indigo Dreams: Adult Relaxation will give you tools and help you sleep!