School is out almost everywhere. Whether you have kids still in school or not, most families are looking forward to or are already on some kind of vacation. If you do have kids in school, the chaos of having them at home begins in earnest. “Mom, I’m bored.” “Can I play on my PS2?” You know the drill.
What do the summer months do to the intimacy between the Big Kids in your house? Do the demands on your time and attention rob you all of your intimacy until school starts up again?
Why not explore some ways that Summer can deepen your connection and enable you to spend some much–needed time together. Whether you have small children or teens, summer offers a wide variety of activities and opportunities that can bring you and your spouse closer than ever. Just do something together every week. This is not a dress rehearsal and it will be gone before you know it.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER DATE IDEAS
- Summer cookouts with a few close friends
- Go to the movies together (get a baby sitter or go to a family friendly movie.
- Have a picnic
- Check out new restaurants
- Make homemade ice cream together
- Go to a concert
- Go to the lake or the beach. Rent gear if you don’t own it.
- Go fishing, regardless of what you catch
- During the summer, the warmth and beautiful weather offer plenty of chances to share activities you can’t participate in when it’s cold and dreary. Use the season to your advantage and plan plenty of romantic and fun dates.
- Play a few rounds of mini golf
- Go to a baseball or softball game together
- Spend a day at an amusement park
- Explore local items of interest that natives usually ignore: museums and historical sites
PLAN OUTINGS THAT MAXIMIZE FACE-TO-FACE CONNECTION
Whenever possible have kid free dates that enable you to sit face-to-face and concentrate on focusing on each other…device free. Make eye contact all the time.
Even if some of your dates mean having kids along, pay special attention to the things you do and see what really lights your spouse up. Then, talk about your favorite parts of each outing. How about some of these:
- If your area has a zoo, go and talk to your kids about what they see
- What kid doesn’t like a water park? Take along your Kindle or a good book and while the kids wear themselves out, relax and enjoy
- Go to the aquarium
- Take a sightseeing drive. Check out this website for car games you can play when there isn’t anything wonderful to see. http://www.minitime.com/trip-tips/10-Best-Car-Games-for-Kids-article
- Go on camping trips, as primitive as tents or as exotic as a rented RV
- Build a campfire and make s’mores.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE HOME TO CREATE SPECIAL SUMMER MEMORIES
- Pitch a tent in the backyard
- Ride bikes
- Play in the sprinklers…yes big kids too
- Have a water balloon fight
- Turn on the grill or smoker and teach your kids how to cook outdoors
- Have a water balloon fight
DON’T OVERLOOK SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR KIDS
While your kids are out playing, remember the sage advice from Erma Bombeck who said her kids didn’t know that house doors didn’t automatically lock then they went out side until they were 16. Steal a little kid-free time for a little romance.
CONSIDER THINGS LIKE
- Vacation Bible School
- Summer camps from other organizations
- Consider co-op babysitting with other couples who have kids the age of yours
- Summer art classes
- Summer dance lessons
- Junior chef classes
Final Note
What plans do you and your spouse have for spending a little extra time together this summer while the kids are out of school? Make it a priority or it just won’t happen. FAMILIES MATTER!
