Parenting in the summer versus the school year

I don’t know about you but my parenting has been off its game since the summer started. Or, maybe I’m saying it’s been on its game. I’m really not sure but I’ve noticed the parent I am during the summer is remarkably different from how I parent during the school year. 

Here’s why:

Lunches:

During the school year, I insist on making Princess Peach eat healthfully. That means no giving her sugary treats in her lunch and absolutely no juice. But here I am packing her lunch for camp filled with cookies, crackers and crap. Don’t forget the juice. I’ve been freezing juice boxes and adding her them to her lunch box. I justify giving her one per day because it’s acting like an ice pack. Right? 

Mealtimes:

The summer has been insanely hot (no, I’m not complaining), but our meals in general have been lacking. There may have been a week where I didn’t cook and just hopped from farmer’s market to farmers market for dinners. This is NOT like how mealtimes are during the school year. Ever serve your kids fries and fruit for dinner? And then beg them to eat pizza? Yup. If you are raising your hand, you are in good company!

 My So-Called Mommy Life

Popsicles/Freezies/Ice cream

These guys get their own category because we’ve indulged this summer. A lot! Like yesterday when Princess Peach devoured half a jumbo Freezie after camp yet I still served her up a sugar cone with ice cream after dinner way too close to bedtime! The school-year parent is cringing at this, but hey, it’s the summertime right? Everything will reset in September, right?

My So-Called Mommy Life

Clothes:

I’ve always been anal about the clothes my kids wear and how they dress, yet here I am in the summer time not freaking out over the fact that Princess Peach wore a grey tank top with sparkly pink stars and purple shorts! Ha. Crazy that I even care and totally know that I should pick my battles, but it’s summertime and whatever goes.

Toilets

Using toilets in the summertime is optional, right? Well, according to Little Dude they are! He is like a dog making his mark wherever we go. He’s peed at beaches, parking lots, people’s lawns. You name it, he’s marked his spot. He’s even done #2 at a few public parks that is disgusting. Hopefully when the fall comes around he will start using a toilet again. Hopefully!

 My So-Called Mommy Life

Learning

During the year I try to work on Princess Peach’s academics. Nothing crazy at all, but we have practiced writing letters, sounds, reading words etc. This summer I can count on my fingers how many times we have done any extra learning and keeping up with her academics. Want to guess how many times? Once! Yup. That’s right. One time and I instagramed that picture so I had proof. But once school starts in September it’s back to business, right? I hope so!

Bedtime

I’m not super strict with the exact minute that my kids need to be asleep by but during the school year they have a reasonable bedtime. In the summer time, there is no such thing as bedtime. In fact, it seems that bedtime keeps getting later and later. I know it is partly due to it being sunny and us wanting to enjoy the longer days and other factors (going for ice cream), but there have been way too many nights that my kids have been awake too close to 10 PM!

These are just a few examples of how my parenting differs during the summer than during the school year. So dish it moms and dads, how does your parenting differ in the summer time?

Comments

  1. I think in two weeks Camille only had 3 structured dinners…for all the other lunches and dinners, it is whatever is at hand. I am choosing my battles during this month of vacations, and I choose to fight for good manners instead of early bedtimes. She can sleep late in the morning…

  2. Pretty much all of the above! Your post could’ve been written by me. Lol Thanks for keeping it real, Renée!

Leave a Reply to mscmommylife Cancel reply

*