Although our school doesn’t let out for summer until June 17, I have already begun to plot out our burgeoning summer schedule.  Summer is about lazy days and soaking it all in, but achieving that can often only be done with a lot of preparation and planning.  Coordinating each member of your family’s needs and requirements can be overwhelming, but the alternative is to risk overlapping activities.  That leads to stress, and often, disappointment.  Not many people, whose plan is to truly relax and live unscheduled, can do so.  Your best bet is to browse through the list below and decide if there is anything you can do now to make this summer your most enjoyable yet.

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• camp – Whether it be a day camp or a summer-long camp, many children (and parents) benefit from the recreation provided through camp.  Now is the time, if you haven’t already, to check into camp programs in your area.  Often these programs fill up quickly, so the goal is to discover early what is right for your child and your family’s schedule.
• vacation – Many people choose the summertime to plan family vacations due to the pleasant weather and school schedules.  What is your vacation plan for this year?  Have you chosen a time?  a place?  a budget?  These are questions that must be answered before airplane tickets can be purchased or hotel rooms can be booked.  Be sure to consider work schedules and time off in your planning.
• visitors – I don’t live near any family, so we tend to get a lot of visitors, especially during the summer months.  When I receive a call that someone is coming for a visit, I am quick to plot that on my calendar because a lot goes into hosting guests:  special attention to the house must be made, entertainment researched, and meals planned.
• projects – Be sure to use the warm weather and the long hours of daylight to accomplish the things that you’ve had on your To Do List.  Add those items now to your summer planner, and give yourself every advantage to achieving your goals.
• education – Just because it is summertime does not mean that we have to subject ourselves to complete brain inactivity.  Summer reading is a terrific way to spend an hour on a blanket in the yard.  Look for other ways to promote learning throughout the summer.  Make a day trip to a museum.  Build in “work” time with worksheets or journals.  Make the library a weekly destination.
• fun – Every place has those things that should be taken great advantage of in the summertime:  ocean, swimming pool, trails, malls, live music, amusement parks, ice cream, whatever it might be in your local area.  Be sure to begin looking into local calendars and scheduling some of the fun in your area.  It is a special time for our family to visit our Dairy Queen.  We sit outdoors on picnic benches, and the children climb the gnarly apple tree that grows on the premises.  Who would want a summer of no Dairy Queen?

What is in store for you and your family this summer?