Summer is nearly upon us—what are you going to do about it? Avoid the no-schedule blues and kickstart the season with a summer wish list. It’s like a planning brainstorm, but much more fun. Find a large piece of posterboard and get out the markers. Then think of everything and anything that sounds like fun (and somewhat reasonable) when school’s out. Make it colorful and display it someplace that can inspire ideas when the “I’m boreds" strike.
Be sure to make a side list for yourself and include things that provide a break from the full-time parenting. Some ideas are getting a manicure-pedicure, enjoying a date night or girls’ night out, getting away on a kid-free weekend, or reading an enthralling novel. Include learning a new skill: such as knitting, swimming backstroke, or cooking homemade pizza on the grill. When August comes around, you can proudly point to your poster and say “THAT is what we did on our summer break.”
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Need some time away from the kids? Barefootstudent.com is a database that lists local college students looking for babysitting jobs. For $25 a year, you have access to the site’s listings of potential carers. The site also lists students who are movers, personal assistants, and other caregivers.