Summertime and the living is easy...or is it?

We’re all familiar with the lyrics from Porgy and Bess. It brings images to mind of lazy afternoons, lemonade, and cool breezes. Although summer isn’t here officially, change is already in the air for families with school-age children. While children are celebrating being done with school, many parents may sense their anxiety growing. Dr. Jennifer Thomas, a psychologist with ACC and mother of 2, shares her thoughts.

“Summer brings both the opportunity for positive experiences as well as a unique set of challenges,” Thomas said. “As a mom, I look forward to less structured days, fewer time demands, and a more flexible schedule. The words “hurry up” are spoken often during the school year. Even though young children do not have a real concept of time, they still feel and hear our pressure. With some thought, summer can provide relief from that stress.”

For stay-at-home moms, Jennifer sees many possibilities for the summer days with their children. Activities don’t have to cost money. Anything out of the routine, seeing or doing something new, socializing with others can build memories. “The main challenge,” she emphasized “is all that time together! It means meeting the needs of different age children, a lack of personal time for your own goals which may need to be postponed, and finding ways to not get tired of each other.” Dr. Thomas’ own son described the challenge of being around him while he is being loud, fussy, or mad at his sister!

For moms employed outside the home, life gets more complicated. Their children are free but they are not. There is the practical issue of childcare. “A parent’s productivity at work often drops because of calls from unoccupied children. If they must work for financial reasons, sadness or guilt may become a daily companion because they cannot spend more time with their children,” Thomas stated. “The extra hours of daylight, later bedtime, and perhaps vacation time from work, however, may all be used to a parent’s advantage in building positive summer memories.” She suggests that all parents recall their own best memories, remember what about them was special, and seek to impart those things to their children.

We hear reports daily about the impact of stress on our personal health. Stress also impacts our children, both our own stress and their stress if their lives are overly structured. Jennifer suggests that before children are enrolled in activities, we ask ourselves “What is the purpose? Is this in line with our family priorities?” Although others at ACC treat children, Dr. Thomas does works with their parents. “I believe that the best advantage parents can give their children is a strong marriage. I encourage couples to spend at least as much money on enriching their marriage as they do on enriching experiences for their children. The trickle-down effect to them will pay a lifetime of benefits.” Remember to take time to be a couple as well as a family this summer!