What to Do With Your Children While You Work This Summer
With summer quickly approaching, many working parents might find themselves feeling stressed about finding someone to care for their children or a way to keep them entertained while they’re out of school for a few months. Unfortunately for many working parents, the beginning of summer doesn’t mean it’s time to take a break – so it’s up to you to find someone to care for your children while they take theirs. Since children are out of school for months at a time during the summer months, it can be difficult to find a long term solution for care 5 days a week that will last for the entire duration of their break. Leaving your kids with a daycare service or babysitter can also be challenging as, if not left in good hands, you might spend your entire workday worrying about them instead of doing the work that is keeping you from your family in the first place. If you are finding yourself in this situation, don’t panic – you have a few options.
Hire a Babysitter
One of the easiest ways to ensure that your children are in good hands while still remaining in your home to play and enjoy their time off school is by hiring a babysitter who can come to your home while you’re at work. These days, finding a babysitter is easy thanks to sites like care.com and apps like Sitter City. Babysitting services like these make it easier than ever to find someone to watch your children, as well as meet with them ahead of time to go over rules, expectations, and to see if they’re a good fit. This is a great way to do a pretty thorough review of a potential babysitter’s background and experience, and to see ahead of time if they mesh well with your child and your household rules.
Send Them Off to Day Camp
For older children, a great option for staying busy while being supervised by adults this summer is a day camp with a local program or organization such as the YMCA or your local park district. This will give your child the opportunity to engage with a hobby or activity that is meaningful to them, such as sports or outdoor exploration, while you can put your mind at ease knowing that they are being taken care of while you go to work. Examples of popular day camps include swimming camps that teach crucial water skills to children of varying age groups, sports camps in which children can join teams that play against others locally, or performing arts camps where your child can spend the summer rehearsing for a play or musical performance that will take place at the end of the season. Look into local camps and see if there are any that fit your child’s interests, and keep them occupied and having fun all summer long.
Consider Daycare
For younger children who are not old enough to attend day camps or other programs that would be responsible for them for the day, daycare is a great option. Many daycare centers offer amenities like pools, outdoor play areas, or field trips, so your child can make the most of his or her summer break while being looked after by responsible child care providers. Daycare centers often have strict rules about the staff that they hire to look after children, and conduct thorough background checks on and interviews with staff members ahead of hiring. This means that you can relax knowing your child is in good hands, without having to go to the trouble of checking these things yourself as you would with most babysitters. Daycare services take the work out of hiring child care providers, and are a good option for children who might get bored around their own home everyday.
Enroll Them in an Online Program
If you work remotely or otherwise have the opportunity to keep your children by your side while you work but need to keep them occupied so that you can remain productive, a great option is to enroll them in an online course that caters to their academic or other interests. Programs like Frog Street will help them brush up on the information they learned during the school year to make sure they’ve retained it before school starts back up in the fall, and will keep them occupied during a long work day so you can both stay productive.
Summer is an exciting time for children and their parents alike, who are ready from the monotony of a normal school schedule and ready to take a break and spend time with one another. If you have to work in between family time, take the stress out of finding a childcare solution by utilizing these tips to make sure your child will be happy and well taken care of while you stay productive all summer long.
