Juggling Summer Chaos with Kids? Here’s How to Find Your Rhythm
Summer brings freedom, adventure, and…logistical headaches.
Kids are on different schedules, bouncing between camps, while you’re juggling work, home life, and the never-ending snack requests.
If you’re feeling the seasonal strain, you’re not alone! Here are six strategies that have helped us keep things running smoothly while preserving our sanity:
🔹 Set Summer Rhythms, Not Rigid Schedules – Instead of trying to replicate the school-year structure, embrace a looser rhythm. Morning routines, afternoon quiet time, and evening wind-down moments can create stability and consistency without the pressure of an exact schedule.
🔹 Create Work-From-Home Boundaries – Working from home is WEIRD and it's hard for adults and kids alike to understand that you're here, but not here.
Use visual cues (like a “work time” sign or a fun hat) to help kids understand when you’re unavailable. Define what “unavailable” means and what about and how they can communicate to you during this time. For instance, if my kids were heading to pre-approved friends' houses and my sign was out, they knew to slide me a note instead of interrupting my work flow.
They also knew to make notes of things to remember to talk to me about when I was done, so they didn't forget.
If possible, stack meetings or focused tasks when kids are engaged in independent activities or camps.
Also, keep in mind that having kids home IS a full-time job. I find that stay-at-home and work-from-home parents really underestimate what parenting in the summer entails and overestimate how much they can do. If you wouldn't hire a babysitter for 12 hours AND tell him or her to also complete a whole other job while watching your kids, it might be worth considering not having that expectation for yourself either.
🔹 For littler kids…Create an UNLIMITED Healthy Snack Drawer in the Fridge - When my kids were in elementary school, if it was in the healthy snack drawer, they didn't have to ask, which REALLY reduced me feeling like a snack-you-know-what. Recruit kids in stocking and refilling the drawer with individual portions of things like grapes, celery, carrots, mini cucumbers, sliced peppers, apple slices (in a little lemon juice if you don't want them to brown), hard-boiled eggs, and hummus, guacamole, and peanut butter for dipping.
🔹 For bigger kids…Create a Shared Meal Ideas List - Are you also an “ingredient house”? If so, older kids might need some help figuring out what to eat. When I go to the store, I add things to a shared list on our iPhones using the reminders app based on what I buy. What's currently on our list?
Berry Protein Refrigerator Oats
Prepared Sandwiches from Costco (not ingredients! I know…I'm so nice)
Leftover Burgers and Sausages
Trout & Beans (a quick meal we all like that includes tinned smoked trout, cannellini beans, a little lemon and garlic)…weird, I know.
Quesadillas
Salad
Cut peppers, carrots, and hummus
Pasta and Red Sauce
Butter Noodles and Cheese
I'll even list out the produce we have to eat because MAN these kids are blind.
🔹 Create a Chore System - Summer is a GREAT time to finally get these kids consistently doing chores so that YOU have more time to be the kind of parent you want to be. Also, you know what is the number one predictor of raising a child who has greater self-worth, confidence, work ethic, and empathy for others? You guessed it: chores and shared responsibilities.
Our Family Rules, Chores, and Systems for Discipline workshop can help you in the chores department with done-for-you chores systems by age that include different levels of intensity. If you're thinking, “My kids won't do that," I've built-in motivation. So much so, that my kids ASK ME FOR EXTRA CHORES on the weekends. Bonus, this workshop will also reduce household chaos, increase your parenting confidence, teach the kids financial responsibility, AND help you yell a whole lot less.
🔹 Quality Over Quantity – When days feel chaotic, focus on small moments of intentional connection—whether it’s a five-minute conversation at breakfast, a spontaneous dance party in the kitchen, or an evening walk and talk with your teen. Presence matters more than perfection.
Navigating summer’s ups and downs can feel overwhelming. Be sure to pencil in some adult-only and/or alone time, too. You deserve it 😅
And, as always, you deserve happy relationships,
P.S. - Here's that workshop I mentioned. In 80 mintues, you'll be equipped with the knowledge, mindsets, and all the done-for-you tools you need to parent effectively without yelling. Let us know if you have any questions:
