I saw a post a few days ago that a mom got a full plate set (plastic) in a different color for each kid. Plate, bowl, cup and silverware. And that kid was responsible for their color dishware. Keeping up with them and washing them. 🤯 what a great idea.
I try to do this as well! We have a place in the cabinet for each person's dish and glass set. My teens do not like it! It gives them too much accountability, and they make a fuss about it. I have to say though, it's the only way I have found that keeps me free from constant dish washing over the summer. It makes me 😊.
The rule in our house was if you can work electronics you can handle laundry we also kept the nap/quiet time. This was time for reading,letter writing, scrapbooking, beading,sewing, and one of my teenage boys used the time for lego. The time was in their rooms (me included) Music was allowed only with headphones.The quiet time came from the idea that the uv rays were strongest from 11 am to 2 pm. We usually had snack at 3 outside and it was a family affair might be an ice cream treat or maybe I would make something
We have a rule in the kitchen for summer time " if you dirty it/use it you clean it" takes less then a minute to wash it. I also did the one cup per kid
I hate Texas summers so much ! The older I get the hotter it feels ! Blaaaahhhh ! I am exactly like you, I love being at home alone ! My husband and I are both retired, and having him here 24/7 has been an adjustment ! I have learned that I crave peace and quiet ! My summer cooking consists of lots of tacos and tostadas, tuna salad, fruit and salads. I hate big heavy meals when it’s 108 degrees outside !!
I've noticed that kids want to run from dopamine rush to dopamine rush without any down time to process life. When an eight year old comes home from a birthday party and says, "I'm board", that's a clear indication that they are so over stimulated that they don't know how to enjoy down time. Down time is processing time. And so important to human growth and development.
I loved it when my children were home for summer. Anything goes...stay up late, sleep late, play outside, games, And yes I let them have all the screen time they want. They work hard in a structured world during school and I let they recharge in summer. The read, and had fun. Creative play and their decision making is good for them. This is just me.
Sister, I feel you on enjoying solitude. 🙋🏻♀️ My husband retired last June and having someone in the house with me all day has been a big adjustment. While I love him dearly, I look so forward to the times I get to be alone at home. We, too, are simplifying meals during the summer and my plan is to lean on the air fryer, slow cooker, Instant Pot and grill so I don’t spontaneously combust in the kitchen. 🤣
When I transitioned from public school mom to homeschool mom with 7 children, there was a period of adjustment. BUT, I wouldn't have changed that decision. I grew to love having my children around 24/7/365. The kids have to have a period of adjustment as well but in the end I really enjoyed my constant time with them. I still have some at home and it's nice having my people around me all the time.
I agree. But she's a pastor's wife so it's a balancing act. I personally felt called to put my ministry at church on hold for the brief years with my homeschooler as that became the greatest ministry I could be called to do. It is paying off as I see the grandkids being brought up loving the Lord and being homeschooled also. 😅, a lengthy response to say 100% agree on spending 24/7 while you can. Just don't blink. 😢
YES!! Seriously what mom doesn’t love having their children spend time with them. ESPECIALLY moms who give away all those hours during the school day. It’s pretty unnatural to celebrate time away from your child and dread the time that you get to spend with them. Homeschooling has been the greatest blessing of my families journey. Wish other families would realign their values to focus on family over other things.
When my kids were growing up I absolutely loved summer break and any other school break. I hated the routines and responsibilities of the school year and was so glad to have the breaks from it. We got to do what we wanted, when we wanted. It was fantastic!
Yours is my favorite sort of niche to watch on RUclips. I have been a stay-at-home mom for five years and love content about keeping up with the house, meal planning, saving money, etc. I have to say I think your channel is the best / most helpful one on RUclips for this particular niche. Thank you for always being so incredibly helpful from my mama to another. I appreciate you.
Now that I am past the stage of kids at home and still a teacher, the summers get a little too quiet sometimes. When my family was at your stage of life it took me 2 weeks of prep and mental pep talks to get ready for summer. We did similar things to manage the chaos. I have always been a believer in getting up a little earlier than my family to have "my" time. As they get to be teens and maybe have summer jobs, you will have more time to yourself. One tip for laundry. . . your children all read and are really old enough to learn how to take care of their own clothes. Maybe each child can be assigned a day of the week to do their laundry or "sign up" for a day or time. They quickly learn how to use the washer/dryer and the value of putting their clothes away before they become too wrinkly. Or they master the art of "tumbling" their clothes in the dryer to get out the wrinkles. :) Have a great summer with your lovely family.
Your children will thank you for the housekeeping training later, not just the tasks themselves, but the developing of the routines involved. I had plenty of chores growing up, but it was almost exclusively the tasks my parents didn't want to do. I didn't get a well rounded view of the tasks needed for home maintenance and grew to dread and avoid the few things I did so often as a kid. I got thrown in at the deep end on everything else as I entered adulthood, and it was a struggle.
During the school year, we set a breakfast menu (Monday/cereal, Tuesday/Eggs and Toast, Wednesday/oats (granola or oatmeal), Thursday/eggs and bagel, Friday/ eggs and waffles. Lunch was much the same. Monday/Frozen dinner (chicken nug, pizza, corn dogs), TuesdY/sandwiches, Wednesday/hot lunch (Mac n cheese, ramen, etc), Thursday/snack tray lunch (charcuterie type only not fancy!), Friday/ you’re on your own. They informed me yesterday that they really liked that and wanted to do it over the summer. It makes shopping easier for me and they can make their own.
My sister and I were just talking about how our Mom should have assigned us more chores and responsibilities when we were growing up. We really didn't know how to clean stuff properly because we were never taught. We helped make dinner and clean up after it, she taught us how to cook, bake, and sew. She shouldn't have had to do as much of the housework as she took on. She had three kids who needed to know how to take care of their future homes by themselves.
My mom was the opposite. My sister and I were responsible for housework, yet we weren’t a part of meal preparation or doing laundry. We did hang out, fold and put away laundry but never did the actual laundry. I was in college before I ever ran a load of laundry. 😳
I can relate to all of this!! You’re not alone! As for making my life easier in the summer, I refuse to feel guilty about using paper plates. I try not to use them much during the rest of the year unless we are hosting a crowd. In the summer though, we use paper plates all the time so I don’t have to do as much dishes. It saves me time and energy that I don’t have to give in the summer
Mom of 3 boys here, 26, 24 and 17. When each entered 6th grade I taught them how to do their laundry and clean their bathroom. They have done very well with laundry. I do remind them to clean the bathroom. I will occasionally give their bathroom a good mom clean, if someone is coming to visit. 😅 we never had sports like you, but I know you can work out a system for wet things. Great video...peace and quiet to you this summer😊😅
I really appreciate this video! I'm 71 and I've been the nanny for my two granddaughters for the past 7 years. A few weeks ago I started to feel this way as well. I love your tip about having the children help out more. What I will do this summer is try to replicate my childhood. I remember growing my twin sister and I had to make our beds and tidy up before we could start our days in the summer. We would spend most of the weekdays playing with our dolls and being outside. We would go with Mom to the grocery store and library for things to do outside the house. We also did a few weeks of camp every when we were six and twelve. We were also fortunate that our parents could afford a small vacation even though we had one income. Keep up these great videos and may you and your family have a relaxing summer!
Our solution is that all of my kids have their own water bottles that they fill up at night and put in the fridge for the next day. They also have their own personalized coffee mugs (my kids like warm tea and hot chocolate sometimes). They are only allowed to use their own cups and if their cups are dirty then they have to wash them. If we have juice we usually only offer it during our meal time so we make sure the cups get put away and washed during meal time. We also create summer daily checklists for them that they have to complete before they have screen time, outside play with friends, special sweet snacks, etc.
We just moved from Washington State to Texas, so I truly appreciate your summer cooking ideas that keep the home cool, yet are healthy and tasty! Keep those tricks coming!
I love to hear that you are ramping up the house chores for your kiddos. Im doing the Same and starting to teach them to do their own laundry. I felt a little bad about it…but they def need to learn these life skills. Thanks for validating my momming 😊
We LOVE summer…we homeschool and that is the time we swim, play outside,go on walks with the teenager, get driving time in, and all the things. It’s a relaxing time after VBS so now we relax till August
We're doing a 100 mile challenge this summer. My three kids can use fitness trackers to count the miles they walk, hike, bike, scooter, swim, etc. Once they log 100 miles, they'll receive a prize of their choice within a specified value. Hopefully this helps to get them outside and out of my hair. ☺️
When my children were young, and as summer approaches, I would have them write a list of 10 things they wanted to do throughout the summer. This would help guide for activities, and I will try to keep in mind the different things they wish to do they would check off an item as we did the activity they come to look forward to this I do believe ;-)
We need more Moms like you around! Kids can help and yes, they need to learn these skills too, so why not take some things off your shoulders, and have rules to make the house run smoother! Kuddos to you!
Thank you for your honesty! I’m right there with you. I get anxious before summer as well. This year I was particularly anxious as I’m recovering from surgery as well. Summer is a lot when I’m at 100%, so we’re relying on Jesus this summer! Thank you for the reminder that I’m not alone!
We do a summer bucket list. It contains reading/academic goals, as well as fun activities. There are some "going out" ideas, but it's mostly activities that we can do at home.
I love that quiet still time so much that I get up at 4:00 am every morning year round. It is the only way I have found to be sure to secure that necessity every day!
Mindy, I just love you! You're so relatable and so helpful when it comes to shopping and recipes. I only found your page about 6 months ago, but I've watched some of your videos going all the back 3 years. I've gotten ideas from every single one I have watched! As a mother of four, I'm always looking for ways to save money and time. You knock it out of the park with both of those! I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow at Sam's and Walmart (unfortunately, we have yet to have get an Aldi here in central Arkansas) and this is going to help me meal plan. Your channel is such a godsend!
Shelby thank you so much for those kind words! I really appreciate it as being helpful is one of the core values I consider when making all my content. :)
I do a deep clean once a week, when the kiddos are at aports, but daily in the summers we do what I call a 15. Each of us take a room, we set a timer for 15 minutes and we do the chores needed for that room. It keeps the house much more organized during the summer and it doesn't feel like we are cleaning all day
Love your game plan to live with intention and a plan that you and the hubs made for the family during the summer. My best tip for getting kids/teens to stay on top of their areas is to enforce the "Never leave your room empty-handed" rule. Ask them to get in the habit of looking for items that need to go back to the kitchen, in the laundry room, etc before leaving their rooms. When they appear in the kitchen, ask them, "Did you check for returnables?" May this be one of your best Mom-life summers!
Your feelings are valid, remember to give yourself grace. As an empty nester, I can say as you raise your kids the days are endless and the years fly by. I love teaching them responsibility and self sufficiency. I believe it helps their self confidence as they get older. It’s also interesting to see what types of chores they gravitate too. My son absolutely loved cooking and would get put on charge of dinner once a week. Also had to clean up 😉. While watching this video the Trace Adkins song ‘You’re Gonna Miss This’ was going thru my head 💙
Let kids be kids They have the rest of their life to be responsible. Chores should be reasonable but age appropriate. Cooking and laundry can wait until kids are teens in my opinion
I love all your ideas. How about tasking the children with doing an act of service or kindness each week? It could be something simple like taking cookies to a neighbor or helping pull weeds.
I love my toaster oven !!! I have baked a whole chicken,buscuits,etc in it. I lived in a single wide trailer for a very long time and it really cut down the heat . I still do it since it’s now just me in a small house AND I’m in Georgia now.
Summer is supposed to be fun 🤩! I overbooked last summer and we were always worn out. This summer we skipped signing up for things. We have found different crafts, made a small pond, and lots of cooking within a budget things from RUclips. I am raising grandkids. Now they enjoy summer so much. We also have “granny meals” (homemade lunch in lunch box with random toys. I buy a bulk box off Amazon. Play old style Nintendo too. Relax some days and make lazy summer days a random habit.
Our kids are grown and on their own but when they were younger we would have a week or two each summer where they were “Mom” and do everything Mom does. They made a menu, shopped for food with a budget , cooked meals, did dishes,cleaned house, did laundry including ironing! They are very capable now and were shocked that so many of their friends didn’t know how to run a dishwasher or washing machine! Bonus Mom got a break in her routine!😀
During Covid, I FIIIINALLY made a more concrete chore system. Each of my boys have their “dailies” and their “extras” that change each day, they know they have to have them all done before they can play video games. (Though the teenager has been pushing those boundaries lately.) My MIL took me to Costco and treated us to a bunch of snack foods, so that helps. I’m about to go watch one of your Summer Crockpot Meals videos, hoping to get out of my current slump! (Teething baby and back-injured husband = not much free time.)
Also planning screen time rules and increasing the kids chores. Love the idea of them doing their own breakfast, so will give that a go. Maybe not with the 4yo, but the 7yo can do it! We don’t plan more than one big trip out per week, and we try to see friends once a week too. After seeing this I think I’m going to stock the freezer with pancakes and French toast so I don’t have to cook every day.
I feel stressed during the school year. The summer is my chance to breath and NOT be bound by schedules and being on time here there and everywhere. And I usually am not FORCED to have to be socializing with people at all the things. I just want to freestyle and recover from the pressure of school and especially the end of year gatherings, awards nights, school concerts, sports practic s,meets regionals sectionals etc. All at th same tim as graduations, confirmations, etc. It is just too much. Staying home is my goal this summer!
I’m a teacher & in the past I would save summer break for deep cleaning & things I didn’t normally do to the house throughout the year. Since covid I don’t save big house cleaning projects for summer or school breaks. I don’t want to clean everyday nor do my teenage children. I work on these things throughout the year so that we can all rest & recuperate during school breaks. My kids have always been fine with doing very little activities in the summer. It gives us time to clear our minds.
It’s funny how different we can all feel at different times of the year. I like summer because it’s the time when I didn’t have to make school lunches , rush around getting children to school and do homework etc… I’d start feeling dread coming up to the end of summer and having to get sorted for back to school. Four of my five children are finished school and are through university. My youngest is in university. It goes so fast. Now summer is good and the other seasons are good too.,
I'm with you as far as summer goes. We're in Alabama. I also get the glasses and dishes everywhere. Lol My kids are grown. It's still crazy. We homeschooled our kids. It just made it so much easier. I love your channel.
I use my grill or air fryer during the summer due to heating up the kitchen. I am NOT a fan of Summer heat. My Dad lives with us so he and I eat amazing salads or leftovers. Lots of grilled meats get chopped up to top salads as added protein. The man is a chow hound and will literally eat anything. Bread making increases due to sandwiches and buns. Hubby takes his lunch to work. I have a couple of neighbors that I will share meals with when I grill large amounts. They hate to cook and I Love it. Hope you have a blessed summer. I miss my summers with my kids
I am also a mom who needs solitude, and I homeschool, so that makes solitude challenging 😂 with a baby as well, morning hours aren't usually the best bet for solitude. We implement a quiet time during the baby's afternoon nap. My kids can play outside or downstairs quietly. They know that the whole idea is to not disturb Mom 😂 it usually works pretty well! It's not perfect, but it keeps me sane.
You are doing everything right.They are at the perfect age to learn how to change sheets, do laundry, and cook for themselves. We do a disservice to our children when we don't teach them every day mundane tasks that are necessary for life.
It dawned on me today that we’re NOT done with snacks. For whatever reason, summer is a season when we love to nosh, myself included!! My son calls the King’s Hawaiian rolls “baby pan-pan” pan being Spanish for bread 😊 I also agree about the kids being bored!! I only put my son in summer camp half days and only for the first 3rd of summer, hoping to teach him some basic skills and get some help around the house too!!
What I used to do when my sons were young in summer was a chart - ( we did it for learning activities keep little minds sharp during summer - easy / fun science things- reading time) so it was if do activity get points at end of summer counts points and it was however much $ got to spend on end of summer activity ( for us it was out of town arcade/ go cart track/ mini golf thing) they “earned “ their arcade money through points . It was a nice carrot in front of their nose to get through summer.
You are definitely not alone with feeling this way about summertime! Now for myself and my husband it is the heat and HUMIDITY of living in southern GA that gets to us from time to time. Our kids are all grown now, but I find myself still stressed out and overly anxious about things that in reality I really do need to re-evaluate as to...umm, why am I stressing over this? lol Great tips and as always thank you for sharing!
I love all your ideas. We use a zone system for chores. There are the same amount of zones as family members. We rotate the zones weekly so my kids are learning how to clean multiple areas and then I can do a deep clean when it’s my turn 😂 it helps me keep up with the house chores when I I have outside chores to do as well.
I am in Nebraska and the humidity gets me down. I can handle the 90ish degrees but the humidity just gets to me. Takes it out of me. Being in Oklahoma, I know you get that. I don't have kids so I don't have the scheduled activities and kids home all the time like many people do. But I wish we got more than 2 weeks of spring and a month of fall!
Great video! I agree that getting up earlier is helpful even if you’re home alone. It gives you time to mentally prepare for the day for work or your family. ❤
I'm glad you challenged your anxious thoughts about summer! And as a mom of older kids I applaud the 'less' - underprogramming leads to more creative and adaptable humans who can entertain themselves!
Idea: making a homemade tasting meal out of convenience foods like turn frozen burritos into enchiladas. Or using using premade biscuit dough or pizza dough, to make different things that taste homemade. Or making different salads..lettuce or spinach or pasta and using different veggies in it, different dressings, different meats.
Summer is my favorite season (maybe because I live in WI) and I also don’t like to cook as much then. I spend a lot of time gardening. My kids are both grown but I didn’t let them walk to school, even though the elementary and middle schools were within walking distance. I would drive them and then run morning errands.
I used to feel similarly because I felt like life was always on the run and I never got a break. But I found a book that spoke to me and changed my perspective on seasons as well as how I utilize my time to my advantage. It's called The Four Season Solution by Dallas Hartwig. It has helped me appreciate every season as well as not feel guilty when I begin the "hibernation" cycle of the year toward Winter. I highly recommend the book for an understanding of why we're always tired and why we feel like we're in a perpetual "summer" mindset, or a busy and hectic life.
Summer was tough a while back for me but it changed when I decided to get excited about it like kids do. My cleaning is more relaxed and I spend most of my days outside with kids at pool or backyard toys. House is less messy when they are outside. It’s a beautiful time of year that I want to enjoy.
Hello from Houston, TX! Excited for more summer recipe ideas. I do love the Sam's haul too. I never go, and seeing some deals you got that are cheaper than Walmart made me realize I should give Sam's a chance. Also nice to hear easy meals are ok, amd not everything has to be made from scratch all the time. People are super busy these days. However, I like the idea of made from scratch pizzas to freeze on days you have time to cook. Would love a video of just that! P.s. it's HOT! 97 degrees with heat index feels like 111 at 2pm.
I loved summer when my kids were in school. Lol. I worked part time as an RN. Still loved those days off when they were in school. Looking back I could have been more productive lol. But school hours w being a nurse was stressful for me.
When my kids were younger, we had quiet time for 1.5 hours in the afternoon after lunch. They could read or play in their room, but it was just a little time for me to just be without noise and chaos.
I really struggle with summer too. I am intensely introverted, and the extra activities/trips/out of town company and lack of solitude is really hard, as much as I love the extra time with my kids. I'm a night owl, so my usual solution is to stay up later. (Although that is getting harder as my kids get older. They often want to stay up as late or later than I do now.)
I love getting up in the mornings to spend time with my husband before he leaves for work BUT I am not a morning person. My family knows to put a cup of coffee in my hands and back away slowly until I am fully awake, this process can take a couple of hours. But I did say that I like to spend time with my husband - we do - in the same room but we are both quite and doing our own thing yet being with each other. it works for us. 🙂
Oh the cups. I only have 2 cups per child that they can use. That forces us to rinse out and reuse cups throughout the day (the 2nd cup is just an extra is an extra for when milk gets forgotten in a cup). It's a dishes lifesaver! Just like pairing down the wardrobe, pairing down those cups has changed my life.
I work at a school so I am at work when the kids are at school, and also I’m home when they are home so I like to go for a walk or run by myself earlier in the morning for that alone time. I do remember when I was a stay at home mom I loved that quiet time when all the kids were at school. My children are older but sometimes I find myself closing my bedroom door and just laying on my bed for 15 minutes to just have some me time. Also I agree that stocking up is essential when the kids will be at home all day.
I’m with you on the get up earlier thing. I usually don’t get up earlier than 7. Id like to get up at 6! Let’s do it! Lol you could also sign them up for a computer program like time for learning or night zookeeper, and they take turns doing computer time, their chore and reading time while you do your work! Hope that helps
I hate summer too, and it’s so refreshing to hear someone else say that! I always feel like the oddball who hates summer. It makes me depressed and so dang hot! The circadian changes also mess with sleep and so much else. I LOVE fall!
As someone who has no kids and works at a school, summer is my only break and I’m done with everyone else’s kids. I just want to spend time with my cat and chill.
As a kid, we helped do things outside too! I remember dragging branches to a brush pile!! One thing my parents asked of us as kids, was if they were working in the yard outside, that we be outside playing or helping, too! It was a way to limit screen time, but it also kept us kids much longer because we were creative with what we did outside!
As a child, I became an avid and engrossed reader as a result of boredom. Nothing much happened and I was taken to very little. Mostly I was 'in charge' of my own amusements. For whatever it may be worth, I feel that you are doing the right thing taking your children out and about, but it would be no bad thing to give them some time to arrange their own time! Then and now, I valued my own time. Thank you for the video! Brilliant as always! PS: Do make sure that the children know how to operate the washing machine! That is an essential life skill and with a modern washing machine, it is not difficult. If they get dramatic about it, I would suggest showing them a RUclips video about how washing was done before the invention of automatic machines!
I chuckled at the washing machine comment. My mom had a wringer washer until I was about 13 and no clothes dryer -the clothes hung outside in the summer and inside the rest of the year. Doing laundry for her was serious physical labor. Now it’s more about management. She’d roll over in her grave if she knew one could turn on their clothes washer via their smartphones.
@@DCupcake58 In some ways life is much easier now. Though in other ways harder. Thank you for commenting. As I child I knew people who still used wringers. They were real labour!
I’m starting to feel this way to. Summer is great and short in MN, but it’s exhausting and my house chores are taking a back seat and it’s stressing me out. I am also struggling with summer dinners that are fast. It’s bananas but I’m already watching fall and winter videos lol Summer came fast, we had no spring and it’s tiring.. just go go go.
Yes!! With the loss of our regular routine, and a fussy, clingy, teething baby, my house has been getting dirtier and dirtier the last week or so! It’s stressing me the heck out!
Great video, Mindy ! My children are grwon up now , but I find all tips great. Especially teaching them how to wash clothes and clean house, and all the above! 😊
Hi I've been watching your videos for a while now. Your so on point with the meal preparation. I like your videos I have 3 sons: 13,8,7.. It's gottn easier to cook for then because I said spaghetti will be my go to meal every week. Also this video has helped me to get more food and less junk. Thank you so much this is my favorite video. I felt like I was apart of this grocery haul thank you so much. Your doing an amazing job. Taking pics of your meals will help with not writing everything down. And it makes for a great photo album.
Sometimes it's okay to have quiet time, I believe that it is good to teach children that there is a time for energetic play and then quiet play. We need to teach that it is okay to have alone time, read a book, watch your favorite show, doing some art projects. It is good for children to learn independence and some chores too, lol.
I'm an empty nester now. But when I had 4 kids at home, summer and cups...made. me. CRAZY! I solved it by getting 4 plastic cups from Walmart, all the same size and different colors. One sharpie marker and names on EACH CUP. I told the kids...those cups were the ONLY cups they were allowed to use. I took all the cups out the cabinet. My hubby and I have Yetis we use most every day. I also told them that if they didn't keep track of their cups...then they'd be drinking from the faucet 😂. It was only their germs on the cups (because...you know...kids don't want to drink their siblings' germs 😂). It worked like a charm! They learned to rinse their cups and put them next to the sink on the drain towel. Every couple of days, I would throw them in the dishwasher at night. Total BLISS for the summer...at least when it came to cups. Did I mention 4 kids?...Yeah, soooo...😂
You crack me up with the faceplant on the bed😂 I have a little container garden and I cannot believe how much we can get from it! I love cooking with those veggies and freezing then have them throughout the fall and winter. Thanks for a great video!❤ AND YESSS! The solitude of my home when it's just me and my puppygirl! Blissful!
I went on the internet and found several easy crafts and then bought the supplies. I take a few at a time and put the instructions and all the ingredients for one project into a paper bag and then seal it. I also get a few easy to make muffin or cookie mixes and do the same. When my daughter gets bored she can pick out one of them to do. She doesn't know what she is getting but she has to do the one she opens. She is older so some of the items are things she can make for gifts.
YES!!! Mine are 7yrs and 5yrs (girls), they seem to fight more in the summer and I'm trying to work from home. It so difficult to keep them busy and also get my work done and do the usual cooking and cleaning. Summer's are just plain stressful for me!! I'm not a smoker (yet), but honestly by the time they go back to school in late August I'm downright frazzled.
I live in Wisconsin and love summer! We are stuck inside due to freezing cold, snow and rain about 6-8 months out of the year so when summer is here I am ready (so are my kids)! Thanks for the great ideas! Definitely going to make a summer capsule cookbook for my family too! ❤
I’m from Massachusetts and feel the same. Unfortunately, June is shaping up to be unusually cold and rainy this year. It’s currently in the low 60s and I’m sitting in a sweatshirt 😩
I hate summer too. I live in Georgia. I long for October every year. Summer is full of heat, humidity and bugs bleh.
October and November are my 2 favorite months of the year!
Ugh! Tell me about it! GA is hot- even hotter than Florida in the summer! Whew!!!
Same in Alabama, soo much humidity !!
HA!! NOVEMBER IS FULL ON WINTER HERE IN MICHIGAN...Gray, COLD DEPRESSED
GA heat is no joke but summer is my favorite. I hate fall and winter.
I saw a post a few days ago that a mom got a full plate set (plastic) in a different color for each kid. Plate, bowl, cup and silverware. And that kid was responsible for their color dishware. Keeping up with them and washing them. 🤯 what a great idea.
I try to do this as well! We have a place in the cabinet for each person's dish and glass set. My teens do not like it! It gives them too much accountability, and they make a fuss about it. I have to say though, it's the only way I have found that keeps me free from constant dish washing over the summer. It makes me 😊.
That's a great idea!
The rule in our house was if you can work electronics you can handle laundry we also kept the nap/quiet time. This was time for reading,letter writing, scrapbooking, beading,sewing, and one of my teenage boys used the time for lego. The time was in their rooms (me included) Music was allowed only with headphones.The quiet time came from the idea that the uv rays were strongest from 11 am
to 2 pm. We usually had snack at 3 outside and it was a family affair might be an ice cream treat or maybe I would make something
We have a rule in the kitchen for summer time " if you dirty it/use it you clean it" takes less then a minute to wash it. I also did the one cup per kid
Genius!
I hate Texas summers so much ! The older I get the hotter it feels ! Blaaaahhhh ! I am exactly like you, I love being at home alone ! My husband and I are both retired, and having him here 24/7 has been an adjustment ! I have learned that I crave peace and quiet ! My summer cooking consists of lots of tacos and tostadas, tuna salad, fruit and salads. I hate big heavy meals when it’s 108 degrees outside !!
I've noticed that kids want to run from dopamine rush to dopamine rush without any down time to process life. When an eight year old comes home from a birthday party and says, "I'm board", that's a clear indication that they are so over stimulated that they don't know how to enjoy down time.
Down time is processing time. And so important to human growth and development.
I loved it when my children were home for summer. Anything goes...stay up late, sleep late, play outside, games, And yes I let them have all the screen time they want. They work hard in a structured world during school and I let they recharge in summer. The read, and had fun. Creative play and their decision making is good for them. This is just me.
We do the same!
Sister, I feel you on enjoying solitude. 🙋🏻♀️ My husband retired last June and having someone in the house with me all day has been a big adjustment. While I love him dearly, I look so forward to the times I get to be alone at home. We, too, are simplifying meals during the summer and my plan is to lean on the air fryer, slow cooker, Instant Pot and grill so I don’t spontaneously combust in the kitchen. 🤣
Mine is retiring at the end of this month, and it's going to be a big adjustment to us both. Lord, help us!
When I transitioned from public school mom to homeschool mom with 7 children, there was a period of adjustment. BUT, I wouldn't have changed that decision. I grew to love having my children around 24/7/365. The kids have to have a period of adjustment as well but in the end I really enjoyed my constant time with them. I still have some at home and it's nice having my people around me all the time.
I agree. But she's a pastor's wife so it's a balancing act. I personally felt called to put my ministry at church on hold for the brief years with my homeschooler as that became the greatest ministry I could be called to do. It is paying off as I see the grandkids being brought up loving the Lord and being homeschooled also. 😅, a lengthy response to say 100% agree on spending 24/7 while you can. Just don't blink. 😢
YES!! Seriously what mom doesn’t love having their children spend time with them. ESPECIALLY moms who give away all those hours during the school day. It’s pretty unnatural to celebrate time away from your child and dread the time that you get to spend with them. Homeschooling has been the greatest blessing of my families journey. Wish other families would realign their values to focus on family over other things.
When my kids were growing up I absolutely loved summer break and any other school break. I hated the routines and responsibilities of the school year and was so glad to have the breaks from it. We got to do what we wanted, when we wanted. It was fantastic!
Yours is my favorite sort of niche to watch on RUclips. I have been a stay-at-home mom for five years and love content about keeping up with the house, meal planning, saving money, etc. I have to say I think your channel is the best / most helpful one on RUclips for this particular niche. Thank you for always being so incredibly helpful from my mama to another. I appreciate you.
I need help finding a way to have a hybrid approach. I can’t quit my full time career but do want to make more time for budgeting, meal planning etc.
@@Lp2074 come visit my channel! I work full time too :) I love my job and will never quit 😂
Now that I am past the stage of kids at home and still a teacher, the summers get a little too quiet sometimes. When my family was at your stage of life it took me 2 weeks of prep and mental pep talks to get ready for summer. We did similar things to manage the chaos. I have always been a believer in getting up a little earlier than my family to have "my" time. As they get to be teens and maybe have summer jobs, you will have more time to yourself. One tip for laundry. . . your children all read and are really old enough to learn how to take care of their own clothes. Maybe each child can be assigned a day of the week to do their laundry or "sign up" for a day or time. They quickly learn how to use the washer/dryer and the value of putting their clothes away before they become too wrinkly. Or they master the art of "tumbling" their clothes in the dryer to get out the wrinkles. :) Have a great summer with your lovely family.
Love the parenting tips! I'm a big believer in not overscheduling kids and making sure they know how to take care of themselves and their home!
Absolutely no need to schedule sports, etc. Refuse to be a chauffeur! Go to the pool or better yet a lake, park. Not the entertainment director, Moms!
Exactly yep
Your children will thank you for the housekeeping training later, not just the tasks themselves, but the developing of the routines involved. I had plenty of chores growing up, but it was almost exclusively the tasks my parents didn't want to do. I didn't get a well rounded view of the tasks needed for home maintenance and grew to dread and avoid the few things I did so often as a kid. I got thrown in at the deep end on everything else as I entered adulthood, and it was a struggle.
During the school year, we set a breakfast menu (Monday/cereal, Tuesday/Eggs and Toast, Wednesday/oats (granola or oatmeal), Thursday/eggs and bagel, Friday/ eggs and waffles.
Lunch was much the same. Monday/Frozen dinner (chicken nug, pizza, corn dogs), TuesdY/sandwiches, Wednesday/hot lunch (Mac n cheese, ramen, etc), Thursday/snack tray lunch (charcuterie type only not fancy!), Friday/ you’re on your own.
They informed me yesterday that they really liked that and wanted to do it over the summer. It makes shopping easier for me and they can make their own.
My sister and I were just talking about how our Mom should have assigned us more chores and responsibilities when we were growing up. We really didn't know how to clean stuff properly because we were never taught. We helped make dinner and clean up after it, she taught us how to cook, bake, and sew. She shouldn't have had to do as much of the housework as she took on. She had three kids who needed to know how to take care of their future homes by themselves.
My mom was the opposite. My sister and I were responsible for housework, yet we weren’t a part of meal preparation or doing laundry. We did hang out, fold and put away laundry but never did the actual laundry. I was in college before I ever ran a load of laundry. 😳
I can relate to all of this!! You’re not alone!
As for making my life easier in the summer, I refuse to feel guilty about using paper plates. I try not to use them much during the rest of the year unless we are hosting a crowd. In the summer though, we use paper plates all the time so I don’t have to do as much dishes. It saves me time and energy that I don’t have to give in the summer
I hear ya’!
Mom of 3 boys here, 26, 24 and 17. When each entered 6th grade I taught them how to do their laundry and clean their bathroom. They have done very well with laundry. I do remind them to clean the bathroom. I will occasionally give their bathroom a good mom clean, if someone is coming to visit. 😅 we never had sports like you, but I know you can work out a system for wet things. Great video...peace and quiet to you this summer😊😅
I really appreciate this video! I'm 71 and I've been the nanny for my two granddaughters for the past 7 years. A few weeks ago I started to feel this way as well. I love your tip about having the children help out more. What I will do this summer is try to replicate my childhood. I remember growing my twin sister and I had to make our beds and tidy up before we could start our days in the summer. We would spend most of the weekdays playing with our dolls and being outside. We would go with Mom to the grocery store and library for things to do outside the house. We also did a few weeks of camp every when we were six and twelve. We were also fortunate that our parents could afford a small vacation even though we had one income. Keep up these great videos and may you and your family have a relaxing summer!
Our solution is that all of my kids have their own water bottles that they fill up at night and put in the fridge for the next day. They also have their own personalized coffee mugs (my kids like warm tea and hot chocolate sometimes). They are only allowed to use their own cups and if their cups are dirty then they have to wash them. If we have juice we usually only offer it during our meal time so we make sure the cups get put away and washed during meal time. We also create summer daily checklists for them that they have to complete before they have screen time, outside play with friends, special sweet snacks, etc.
We wake up earlier in the summer too! It’s nice to have quiet time in the morning when the kids don’t have to go to school and choose to sleep in :)
So far I’m about 50% on this goal. Lol. I’ll need to show marked improvement…
We just moved from Washington State to Texas, so I truly appreciate your summer cooking ideas that keep the home cool, yet are healthy and tasty! Keep those tricks coming!
I love to hear that you are ramping up the house chores for your kiddos. Im doing the Same and starting to teach them to do their own laundry. I felt a little bad about it…but they def need to learn these life skills. Thanks for validating my momming 😊
My teens have been doing their own laundry for a couple years & they Do Not want it mixed in with their sibling anymore! Lol
We LOVE summer…we homeschool and that is the time we swim, play outside,go on walks with the teenager, get driving time in, and all the things. It’s a relaxing time after VBS so now we relax till August
It gets better when kids grow up. I used to dislike summers but now I feel excited for it. 😊
We're doing a 100 mile challenge this summer. My three kids can use fitness trackers to count the miles they walk, hike, bike, scooter, swim, etc. Once they log 100 miles, they'll receive a prize of their choice within a specified value. Hopefully this helps to get them outside and out of my hair. ☺️
What a great idea!
I dread Summer! The heat is the worst for me by increasing bills, sun burns etc
When my children were young, and as summer approaches, I would have them write a list of 10 things they wanted to do throughout the summer. This would help guide for activities, and I will try to keep in mind the different things they wish to do they would check off an item as we did the activity they come to look forward to this I do believe ;-)
We need more Moms like you around! Kids can help and yes, they need to learn these skills too, so why not take some things off your shoulders, and have rules to make the house run smoother! Kuddos to you!
Thank you for your honesty! I’m right there with you. I get anxious before summer as well. This year I was particularly anxious as I’m recovering from surgery as well. Summer is a lot when I’m at 100%, so we’re relying on Jesus this summer! Thank you for the reminder that I’m not alone!
We do a summer bucket list. It contains reading/academic goals, as well as fun activities. There are some "going out" ideas, but it's mostly activities that we can do at home.
I love that quiet still time so much that I get up at 4:00 am every morning year round. It is the only way I have found to be sure to secure that necessity every day!
Mindy, I just love you! You're so relatable and so helpful when it comes to shopping and recipes. I only found your page about 6 months ago, but I've watched some of your videos going all the back 3 years. I've gotten ideas from every single one I have watched! As a mother of four, I'm always looking for ways to save money and time. You knock it out of the park with both of those!
I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow at Sam's and Walmart (unfortunately, we have yet to have get an Aldi here in central Arkansas) and this is going to help me meal plan. Your channel is such a godsend!
Shelby thank you so much for those kind words! I really appreciate it as being helpful is one of the core values I consider when making all my content. :)
I do a deep clean once a week, when the kiddos are at aports, but daily in the summers we do what I call a 15. Each of us take a room, we set a timer for 15 minutes and we do the chores needed for that room. It keeps the house much more organized during the summer and it doesn't feel like we are cleaning all day
Love your game plan to live with intention and a plan that you and the hubs made for the family during the summer. My best tip for getting kids/teens to stay on top of their areas is to enforce the "Never leave your room empty-handed" rule. Ask them to get in the habit of looking for items that need to go back to the kitchen, in the laundry room, etc before leaving their rooms. When they appear in the kitchen, ask them, "Did you check for returnables?" May this be one of your best Mom-life summers!
Your feelings are valid, remember to give yourself grace. As an empty nester, I can say as you raise your kids the days are endless and the years fly by. I love teaching them responsibility and self sufficiency. I believe it helps their self confidence as they get older. It’s also interesting to see what types of chores they gravitate too. My son absolutely loved cooking and would get put on charge of dinner once a week. Also had to clean up 😉. While watching this video the Trace Adkins song ‘You’re Gonna Miss This’ was going thru my head 💙
I was thinking the same thing, as a newer empty nester
Let kids be kids They have the rest of their life to be responsible. Chores should be reasonable but age appropriate. Cooking and laundry can wait until kids are teens in my opinion
I thought it was just me! I hate summer, too! Fall & Spring are my jam! I live in a hot & humid area & I just can't handle it anymore!
A fun summer thing I do with grandkids is to park-hop! Pack a picnic (or grab Mcd's) & head out to several parks in safe areas in our area.
I love all your ideas. How about tasking the children with doing an act of service or kindness each week? It could be something simple like taking cookies to a neighbor or helping pull weeds.
Was a teacher myself. I crave time alone. Stopped working a few years back and I get it. I get up before dawn.
I love my toaster oven !!! I have baked a whole chicken,buscuits,etc in it. I lived in a single wide trailer for a very long time and it really cut down the heat . I still do it since it’s now just me in a small house AND I’m in Georgia now.
You go Mindy! You've brought me so much peace. I'm a homesteader, so all the convenience foods are absolutely fascinating. Please keep it up!!!❤❤❤
Summer is supposed to be fun 🤩! I overbooked last summer and we were always worn out. This summer we skipped signing up for things. We have found different crafts, made a small pond, and lots of cooking within a budget things from RUclips. I am raising grandkids. Now they enjoy summer so much. We also have “granny meals” (homemade lunch in lunch box with random toys. I buy a bulk box off Amazon. Play old style Nintendo too. Relax some days and make lazy summer days a random habit.
Our kids are grown and on their own but when they were younger we would have a week or two each summer where they were “Mom” and do everything Mom does. They made a menu, shopped for food with a budget , cooked meals, did dishes,cleaned house, did
laundry including ironing! They are very capable now and were shocked that so many of their friends didn’t know how to run a dishwasher or washing machine! Bonus Mom got a break in her routine!😀
During Covid, I FIIIINALLY made a more concrete chore system. Each of my boys have their “dailies” and their “extras” that change each day, they know they have to have them all done before they can play video games. (Though the teenager has been pushing those boundaries lately.) My MIL took me to Costco and treated us to a bunch of snack foods, so that helps. I’m about to go watch one of your Summer Crockpot Meals videos, hoping to get out of my current slump! (Teething baby and back-injured husband = not much free time.)
Thank you for being REAL!!!! Summer is exhausting over here for this working mom!!!!
Also planning screen time rules and increasing the kids chores. Love the idea of them doing their own breakfast, so will give that a go. Maybe not with the 4yo, but the 7yo can do it! We don’t plan more than one big trip out per week, and we try to see friends once a week too. After seeing this I think I’m going to stock the freezer with pancakes and French toast so I don’t have to cook every day.
I feel stressed during the school year. The summer is my chance to breath and NOT be bound by schedules and being on time here there and everywhere. And I usually am not FORCED to have to be socializing with people at all the things. I just want to freestyle and recover from the pressure of school and especially the end of year gatherings, awards nights, school concerts, sports practic s,meets regionals sectionals etc. All at th same tim as graduations, confirmations, etc. It is just too much. Staying home is my goal this summer!
I’m a teacher & in the past I would save summer break for deep cleaning & things I didn’t normally do to the house throughout the year. Since covid I don’t save big house cleaning projects for summer or school breaks. I don’t want to clean everyday nor do my teenage children. I work on these things throughout the year so that we can all rest & recuperate during school breaks. My kids have always been fine with doing very little activities in the summer. It gives us time to clear our minds.
It’s funny how different we can all feel at different times of the year. I like summer because it’s the time when I didn’t have to make school lunches , rush around getting children to school and do homework etc… I’d start feeling dread coming up to the end of summer and having to get sorted for back to school. Four of my five children are finished school and are through university. My youngest is in university. It goes so fast. Now summer is good and the other seasons are good too.,
I'm with you as far as summer goes. We're in Alabama. I also get the glasses and dishes everywhere. Lol
My kids are grown. It's still crazy. We homeschooled our kids. It just made it so much easier. I love your channel.
I use my grill or air fryer during the summer due to heating up the kitchen. I am NOT a fan of Summer heat. My Dad lives with us so he and I eat amazing salads or leftovers. Lots of grilled meats get chopped up to top salads as added protein. The man is a chow hound and will literally eat anything. Bread making increases due to sandwiches and buns. Hubby takes his lunch to work. I have a couple of neighbors that I will share meals with when I grill large amounts. They hate to cook and I Love it. Hope you have a blessed summer. I miss my summers with my kids
I am also a mom who needs solitude, and I homeschool, so that makes solitude challenging 😂 with a baby as well, morning hours aren't usually the best bet for solitude. We implement a quiet time during the baby's afternoon nap. My kids can play outside or downstairs quietly. They know that the whole idea is to not disturb Mom 😂 it usually works pretty well! It's not perfect, but it keeps me sane.
Same kind of thing I do, it teaches your kiddo that it's okay to ask for space and alone time later on without feeling guilty when they grow up!
You are doing everything right.They are at the perfect age to learn how to change sheets, do laundry, and cook for themselves. We do a disservice to our children when we don't teach them every day mundane tasks that are necessary for life.
I’m right there with you. I love cleaning my house when it’s quiet . There is know one there to tell me what to do.
Summer is all I like. I am a teacher and so frickin tired! And my kid is in college and doesn’t live here. But the heat in Colorado is brutal
It dawned on me today that we’re NOT done with snacks. For whatever reason, summer is a season when we love to nosh, myself included!!
My son calls the King’s Hawaiian rolls “baby pan-pan” pan being Spanish for bread 😊
I also agree about the kids being bored!! I only put my son in summer camp half days and only for the first 3rd of summer, hoping to teach him some basic skills and get some help around the house too!!
What I used to do when my sons were young in summer was a chart - ( we did it for learning activities keep little minds sharp during summer - easy / fun science things- reading time) so it was if do activity get points at end of summer counts points and it was however much $ got to spend on end of summer activity ( for us it was out of town arcade/ go cart track/ mini golf thing) they “earned “ their arcade money through points . It was a nice carrot in front of their nose to get through summer.
You are definitely not alone with feeling this way about summertime! Now for myself and my husband it is the heat and HUMIDITY of living in southern GA that gets to us from time to time. Our kids are all grown now, but I find myself still stressed out and overly anxious about things that in reality I really do need to re-evaluate as to...umm, why am I stressing over this? lol Great tips and as always thank you for sharing!
Summer is my favorite time. No coats! Yaay!
I’m with you. Summer is my least favorite season. I hate the heat, but I do love that my kids are home from school and my garden is poppin’.
I love all your ideas. We use a zone system for chores. There are the same amount of zones as family members. We rotate the zones weekly so my kids are learning how to clean multiple areas and then I can do a deep clean when it’s my turn 😂 it helps me keep up with the house chores when I I have outside chores to do as well.
Great tip!
I am in Nebraska and the humidity gets me down. I can handle the 90ish degrees but the humidity just gets to me. Takes it out of me. Being in Oklahoma, I know you get that. I don't have kids so I don't have the scheduled activities and kids home all the time like many people do. But I wish we got more than 2 weeks of spring and a month of fall!
Great video! I agree that getting up earlier is helpful even if you’re home alone. It gives you time to mentally prepare for the day for work or your family. ❤
I'm glad you challenged your anxious thoughts about summer! And as a mom of older kids I applaud the 'less' - underprogramming leads to more creative and adaptable humans who can entertain themselves!
Idea: making a homemade tasting meal out of convenience foods like turn frozen burritos into enchiladas. Or using using premade biscuit dough or pizza dough, to make different things that taste homemade. Or making different salads..lettuce or spinach or pasta and using different veggies in it, different dressings, different meats.
I can't wait for that capsule video you spoke of.
Summer is my favorite season (maybe because I live in WI) and I also don’t like to cook as much then. I spend a lot of time gardening.
My kids are both grown but I didn’t let them walk to school, even though the elementary and middle schools were within walking distance. I would drive them and then run morning errands.
I used to feel similarly because I felt like life was always on the run and I never got a break. But I found a book that spoke to me and changed my perspective on seasons as well as how I utilize my time to my advantage. It's called The Four Season Solution by Dallas Hartwig. It has helped me appreciate every season as well as not feel guilty when I begin the "hibernation" cycle of the year toward Winter. I highly recommend the book for an understanding of why we're always tired and why we feel like we're in a perpetual "summer" mindset, or a busy and hectic life.
Summer was tough a while back for me but it changed when I decided to get excited about it like kids do. My cleaning is more relaxed and I spend most of my days outside with kids at pool or backyard toys. House is less messy when they are outside. It’s a beautiful time of year that I want to enjoy.
Hello from Houston, TX! Excited for more summer recipe ideas. I do love the Sam's haul too. I never go, and seeing some deals you got that are cheaper than Walmart made me realize I should give Sam's a chance. Also nice to hear easy meals are ok, amd not everything has to be made from scratch all the time. People are super busy these days. However, I like the idea of made from scratch pizzas to freeze on days you have time to cook. Would love a video of just that! P.s. it's HOT! 97 degrees with heat index feels like 111 at 2pm.
That Bugs Bunny saying 'no' pic was perfect.
Love your sunglasses! They could owe you 5 cents for every cup of you find left out. LOL
I loved summer when my kids were in school. Lol. I worked part time as an RN. Still loved those days off when they were in school. Looking back I could have been more productive lol. But school hours w being a nurse was stressful for me.
When my kids were younger, we had quiet time for 1.5 hours in the afternoon after lunch. They could read or play in their room, but it was just a little time for me to just be without noise and chaos.
I despise heat and humidity too. Alabama summers are rough
No additional tips-your “revamp” plans are excellent.
I really struggle with summer too. I am intensely introverted, and the extra activities/trips/out of town company and lack of solitude is really hard, as much as I love the extra time with my kids. I'm a night owl, so my usual solution is to stay up later. (Although that is getting harder as my kids get older. They often want to stay up as late or later than I do now.)
I love getting up in the mornings to spend time with my husband before he leaves for work BUT I am not a morning person. My family knows to put a cup of coffee in my hands and back away slowly until I am fully awake, this process can take a couple of hours. But I did say that I like to spend time with my husband - we do - in the same room but we are both quite and doing our own thing yet being with each other. it works for us. 🙂
Love that!
I like the beautiful summer mornings also! It’s so quiet and cool and I can have that time alone (or walking with a friend).
Oh the cups. I only have 2 cups per child that they can use. That forces us to rinse out and reuse cups throughout the day (the 2nd cup is just an extra is an extra for when milk gets forgotten in a cup).
It's a dishes lifesaver! Just like pairing down the wardrobe, pairing down those cups has changed my life.
I work at a school so I am at work when the kids are at school, and also I’m home when they are home so I like to go for a walk or run by myself earlier in the morning for that alone time. I do remember when I was a stay at home mom I loved that quiet time when all the kids were at school. My children are older but sometimes I find myself closing my bedroom door and just laying on my bed for 15 minutes to just have some me time. Also I agree that stocking up is essential when the kids will be at home all day.
I’m with you on the get up earlier thing. I usually don’t get up earlier than 7. Id like to get up at 6! Let’s do it! Lol you could also sign them up for a computer program like time for learning or night zookeeper, and they take turns doing computer time, their chore and reading time while you do your work! Hope that helps
A week of snow days to make up! 😮 New York got snow once this year & it melted away over night, no shoveling just cleaning the car off.
I hate summer too, and it’s so refreshing to hear someone else say that! I always feel like the oddball who hates summer. It makes me depressed and so dang hot! The circadian changes also mess with sleep and so much else. I LOVE fall!
I hate summer too. I'm also in Tulsa. I'm exhausted from the heat all summer long. I swell up! Greta video
Summer anxiety is real. Summer vacation starts in 1 hour and 14 minutes here…not that I’m counting. Lol!
As someone who has no kids and works at a school, summer is my only break and I’m done with everyone else’s kids. I just want to spend time with my cat and chill.
As a kid, we helped do things outside too! I remember dragging branches to a brush pile!! One thing my parents asked of us as kids, was if they were working in the yard outside, that we be outside playing or helping, too! It was a way to limit screen time, but it also kept us kids much longer because we were creative with what we did outside!
As a child, I became an avid and engrossed reader as a result of boredom. Nothing much happened and I was taken to very little. Mostly I was 'in charge' of my own amusements. For whatever it may be worth, I feel that you are doing the right thing taking your children out and about, but it would be no bad thing to give them some time to arrange their own time! Then and now, I valued my own time. Thank you for the video! Brilliant as always! PS: Do make sure that the children know how to operate the washing machine! That is an essential life skill and with a modern washing machine, it is not difficult. If they get dramatic about it, I would suggest showing them a RUclips video about how washing was done before the invention of automatic machines!
I chuckled at the washing machine comment. My mom had a wringer washer until I was about 13 and no clothes dryer -the clothes hung outside in the summer and inside the rest of the year. Doing laundry for her was serious physical labor. Now it’s more about management. She’d roll over in her grave if she knew one could turn on their clothes washer via their smartphones.
@@DCupcake58 In some ways life is much easier now. Though in other ways harder. Thank you for commenting. As I child I knew people who still used wringers. They were real labour!
I’m starting to feel this way to. Summer is great and short in MN, but it’s exhausting and my house chores are taking a back seat and it’s stressing me out. I am also struggling with summer dinners that are fast. It’s bananas but I’m already watching fall and winter videos lol Summer came fast, we had no spring and it’s tiring.. just go go go.
Yes!! With the loss of our regular routine, and a fussy, clingy, teething baby, my house has been getting dirtier and dirtier the last week or so! It’s stressing me the heck out!
Your videos inspire me. You share common problems and gripes and I truly appreciate that!
Thanks so much! That's my goal. :)
Great video, Mindy ! My children are grwon up now , but I find all tips great. Especially teaching them how to wash clothes and clean house, and all the above! 😊
Hi I've been watching your videos for a while now. Your so on point with the meal preparation. I like your videos I have 3 sons: 13,8,7.. It's gottn easier to cook for then because I said spaghetti will be my go to meal every week. Also this video has helped me to get more food and less junk. Thank you so much this is my favorite video. I felt like I was apart of this grocery haul thank you so much. Your doing an amazing job. Taking pics of your meals will help with not writing everything down. And it makes for a great photo album.
Sometimes it's okay to have quiet time, I believe that it is good to teach children that there is a time for energetic play and then quiet play. We need to teach that it is okay to have alone time, read a book, watch your favorite show, doing some art projects. It is good for children to learn independence and some chores too, lol.
You are not alone. I am so busy canning that it makes it hard to take care of the meals and house
I'm an empty nester now. But when I had 4 kids at home, summer and cups...made. me. CRAZY! I solved it by getting 4 plastic cups from Walmart, all the same size and different colors. One sharpie marker and names on EACH CUP. I told the kids...those cups were the ONLY cups they were allowed to use. I took all the cups out the cabinet. My hubby and I have Yetis we use most every day. I also told them that if they didn't keep track of their cups...then they'd be drinking from the faucet 😂. It was only their germs on the cups (because...you know...kids don't want to drink their siblings' germs 😂). It worked like a charm! They learned to rinse their cups and put them next to the sink on the drain towel. Every couple of days, I would throw them in the dishwasher at night. Total BLISS for the summer...at least when it came to cups. Did I mention 4 kids?...Yeah, soooo...😂
You crack me up with the faceplant on the bed😂 I have a little container garden and I cannot believe how much we can get from it! I love cooking with those veggies and freezing then have them throughout the fall and winter. Thanks for a great video!❤ AND YESSS! The solitude of my home when it's just me and my puppygirl! Blissful!
I went on the internet and found several easy crafts and then bought the supplies. I take a few at a time and put the instructions and all the ingredients for one project into a paper bag and then seal it. I also get a few easy to make muffin or cookie mixes and do the same. When my daughter gets bored she can pick out one of them to do. She doesn't know what she is getting but she has to do the one she opens. She is older so some of the items are things she can make for gifts.
YES!!! Mine are 7yrs and 5yrs (girls), they seem to fight more in the summer and I'm trying to work from home. It so difficult to keep them busy and also get my work done and do the usual cooking and cleaning. Summer's are just plain stressful for me!! I'm not a smoker (yet), but honestly by the time they go back to school in late August I'm downright frazzled.
Great video with lots of useful tips. I will be sure to watch it again in December when we have summer in Australia.
I live in Wisconsin and love summer! We are stuck inside due to freezing cold, snow and rain about 6-8 months out of the year so when summer is here I am ready (so are my kids)! Thanks for the great ideas! Definitely going to make a summer capsule cookbook for my family too! ❤
I’m from Massachusetts and feel the same. Unfortunately, June is shaping up to be unusually cold and rainy this year. It’s currently in the low 60s and I’m sitting in a sweatshirt 😩
@@AngelaMastrodonato it's been unseasonably cool where I'm at! I'm in NC and it's been in the 50's in the mornings! 😭😂
@@emazey5044 that’s normal in the morning this time of year in Massachusetts but the highs are usually in the 70s
There were actually 3 days in the 90s this month but the remaining days have been in the 60s.