If your family is like mine, chances are you're sitting back,

relaxing and letting out a sigh of relief because all that

chauffeuring and scheduling to fit in the extra curricular

activities is over now that summer's here!

So before you get back on that bandwagon again, summer is a

great time to re-evaluate your family commitments. Look back

on last year: did you have regular nights when you could all

eat dinner as a family, or was someone always rushing to get

somewhere? Did your kids have time to do their homework? Did

they have time to just sit around and do nothing at all? Did

you?

If not, then make a decision now that things won't get that

bad again! Kids do not need to be in fourteen different after

school activities. They do need time to be kids, and time

with you, and that time all too easily disappears. So here

are some tips:

1. Sit down with your kids and let them decide what one (or

two) things they just have to be involved in. If there's

one you're committed to that they may not be so keen on,

like music lessons, then let them choose one just for

themselves. But keep it to a minimum.

2. Look at your own schedule. Are there committees you

should be getting off of? Are you using your time well?

3. Think about using the summer to let your kids have a

"taste" of some of the activities they enjoy without it

eating up your year regularly. Send them to a week of dance

or gymnastics camp. Put them in for a week of swimming

lessons. Let them go horseback riding. But keep these

things just for holidays, so they have something

to look forward to, and so that your lives are more

sane!

From the July 2003 edition of To Love, Honor and Vacuum newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

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