I thought I had it all figured out. Last September, for the first time in eight years of motherhood, both my kids would be in school for a full day. For the first time since 1999, I was able to work without first arranging paid childcare — and for seven hours in a row, five days a week. So I ramped up my freelance business, saying yes to every client who called and any project that came my way.
And then Sophia got strep throat.
I went into emergency coverage mode, pulling out babysitting ideas such as calling in grandparents and favors from friends to cobble together childcare for times when I had to be in meetings or hit deadlines. After just barely making it through the three days Sophia was home, I pushed her out the door, wiped my brow, and turned around to find her little brother with a fever. Three more days of panic mode and parent stress and it finally dawned on me that this would be the same issue I’d be facing all summer long, but instead of six days, it would be 60.
What is the Best Learning for Summer?
I’m torn between wanting to fill up those days with formally planned activities or allowing my kids to experience the aimless summer days of my youth, when the sun would shine me awake and my biggest challenge was getting home in time for dinner. From sticky lemonade stands to bike races around the block, my friends and I were learning important lessons about commerce and companionship — but all we knew was that we were having fun.
Plan Summer Camp Learning Activities After School Year Ends
So my plan — and I now realize I need a plan — is a summer’s worth of scheduled fun. For one week in each of June, July and August, my kids will stay busy from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at a low-cost nature camp a few miles from home. During the rest of the time, I’ve organized at least three full days of coverage each week, meaning I’ll need to compress my usual five days worth of work as efficiently as possible.
My in-laws have graciously agreed to watch their grandchildren on one of those days, and I’m doing a kid-swap with a friend on another. My secret weapon is the 12-year-old next door, who’s old enough to be a mother’s helper — watching the kids and keeping them entertained while I work within shouting distance in my home office — but not so old that she charges the prime rates we pay when high schoolers come on our evenings out.
Summer Will Also Include Family Home Activities
I also hope to sneak in a few hours of work even on those days when I’m home alone with kids. I’ve concocted a few ideas for something I’m calling Mommy Camp — activities that will occupy my kids for great chunks of time but that require minimal involvement from me. Water Wonderland is a Mommy Camp theme day that worked well last summer. As soon as we woke up in the morning, I lined up three wading pools of various sizes — ours plus two others borrowed from the neighbor kids who would be joining the fun — and filled them with water to be warmed by the sun. I stuck the plastic outdoor slide at one end and dumped a basketful of water guns and rubber duckies in the other. I spread several blankets around, and stocked a cooler with juice boxes and finger foods. The well-sunblocked kids took it from there, splashing their way through a summer day while I typed in the shade.
I have to pat myself on the back for that particular solution, but I haven’t always been so clever about free-and-fun childcare. When my kids were babies, I stressed at the start of every day, never knowing how I’d find enough time to answer email, research stories and meet deadlines in between feeding, clothing and entertaining the real bosses in my life.
Great Family Ideas Come from Other Parents
But once my firstborn started preschool, a solution materialized in the form of a trusted support network. By spending a few minutes at drop-off and pick-up chatting with the other moms, I was able to figure out which of the ladies were likely candidates for help and friendship. We graduated from small talk to play dates for our kids, during which I learned more about each mom’s parenting style. I wouldn’t want to trade childcare favors with someone who had conflicting points of view on junk food or discipline techniques, for example.
In getting to know other moms with kids around the same ages as mine, I found one person with whom to kid-swap, one person who referred me to a fantastic childcare provider, one person who clued me in to the reasonably priced kiddy camps in the area, and one person who was looking for part-time work and eagerly offered to watch my kids in her home from time to time.
Even with a plan in place, I know summer won’t always be a walk in the park. But with a little luck and a lot of help, I think we’ve got sunny skies ahead.
Rebecca Kavanagh is contributing editor of START, EduGuide's early childhood publication written for families with children ages 0-3.