235: Summertime with Tweens & Teens // Jamie Cook

May 23, 2022

Posted in Focus on Fun, Love Your People, Surviving (Thriving?) in Summer, Tweens and Teens

We’ve talked about how to stay sane with kids home this summer, but what about enjoying long summer days with teens and tweens?

I’m so glad to have Jamie Cook back on the show for a continuation of last week’s episode. I launched this podcast in the fall of 2017, and I love thinking about how the long-time listeners of 3 in 30 have children who are growing up, right alongside mine. The tips that worked for summers with my kids five years ago do not work so well with them now. Are you feeling the same way? Maybe a little panicked about summer break with your tweens who are no longer interested in summer camps and theme days? This conversation with Jamie Cook will help you feel inspired to manage your expectations around summer with older kids home all day and will give you some ideas and tools for making the most of this time.

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Manage your expectations. Remember there is always a learning curve in the first couple of weeks of summer, and consider having that first week be a lazy week. And don’t forget the advice she received to lower all expectations of your older kids ever wanting to hang out with you-don’t take it personally!
Counsel with your kids and invite them to help you plan so they have buy-in. Try using the phrase, “It’s important to me that….” Then give them the chance to voice what’s important to them this summer. Creating this mutual respect will help you have shared goals.
Make it fun! Take a slice of the adventure and creativity you may have had when your kids were younger and put it to use planning fun stuff for your older kids to do with friends. Using a Calendar or Bucket List can be a great idea for planning. As my children have gotten older, I typically ask them during holiday or summer breaks: What is the ONE thing that matters most to you? And I move heaven and earth to make it happen. We can’t do everything that they want to do all the time, but we can do one thing.

>>>Are these tips from Jamie Cook helpful? What would you add to the takeaways? Tell us in the comments below.

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