Deciding what to do with your school-age children during the summer break is a daunting task for any working mom. The first step is to do some Mental Planning to determine your wants, needs and expectations for the summer. The next step is Resource Planning. ”Resource” is a word that covers many areas, but there are four that every working mom must consider during summer break with kids:
- Financial Resources: How much will it cost?
- People Resources: Who can help me?
- Activity Resources: What will my kids do?
- Supply Resources: What must I have on hand?
Financial Resources
Depending on the decision you made during the Mental Planning step, you may need more money to cover summer expenses. This is the case for our family. We plan to send our girls to a summer day camp a few days a week so I can continue to work from home without interruption. To account for the increase in expenses, we’re nipping some unnecessary expenses (like eating out) and will just live a bit leaner for the summer months. I’m also reexamining how I spend my work time, because time is money, especially when you work for yourself. If you’re full-time employed, your time is equally as valuable. Your increased effectiveness at work translates to opportunities to work on a sideline, income-earning business or to position yourself for a promotion or raise.
People Resources
Many working moms are isolated and have very few connections outside of work or family. Yet, working moms need others to help, especially to cover child care during the summer months. Of course, relying on family is usually preferred, but if you’re like me, family may not be close by. Other options include creating a co-op among your mom friends. Many of my mom friends happen to work from home (they either work for themselves or have telecommuting arrangements with their employer). This enables us to periodically swap babysitting or carpooling duty. If a friend is scheduled on a business call at the moment she’s supposed to shuttle her daughter to swim practice, I can pitch in. Of course, these kinds of relationships take time to build, so if you’re in a pinch you can call upon reliable, quality babysitting services like Sittercity. It’ll cost you, but it’s worth it when you’re in a pinch. Also, look into your city’s recreation and parks programs. Our local recreation center offers a supervised, drop-in summer program for school-age children – and it’s free!
Activity Resources
Whether you plan to have your children at home with you while you work, or plan to enroll them in a summer day camp, you must consider the kinds of activities they’ll do. Since my kids will be in a summer day camp a few days a week, most of my activity planning is taken care of. (Last year, I kept them all home the entire summer!) Nonetheless, there are activities that I have planned for them on the “off” days when I do want to squeeze in a bit of work. I’m a bit of a learning nut, so my kids will be spending some time doing enrichment and summer bridge activities
Supply Resources
My main focus during the summer is to always have something for my kids to do, even if it’s a quiet hour of reading, drawing or napping! Since they will be home more, I try to stock up on some basic supplies including:
- Extra snack items, including lots of healthy choices like fruits and vegetables;
- Writing/drawing journals (each of my kids receive a fresh one at the onset of summer break);
- Writing supplies like pens, markers, crayons, paints, etc.;
- Puzzles and board games; and
- Lots of sunblock!
Throughout the year I keep my eyes open for great deals at Michael’s or Target. It’s better to stock up on supplies before summer begins to ease the financial burden of buying everything at once.
Your Action Plan
In the next two days, conduct your Resource Planning. Finish your summer budget, research activities for your kids online or in local parenting magazines, and create your Summer Supply List. Then return here for more on the next step, Scheduling.
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