Say Goodbye To Summer Stress: 7 Simple Tips For Families

 

School’s out and summer is here.

 

It’s time for kids to have fun. Be carefree. Enjoy the break from school.

 

As a parent, you’re looking forward to warm weather, cookouts, vacations, and fewer obligations. But summer can create added pressure and stress.

 

Kids are out of school which means more free time, and less structured support. 

 

Stay-at-home parents feel the pressure of being the constant entertainment while trying to get through the daily chores and responsibilities.

 

Working parents are trying to juggle work, shuffling kids back and forth to camps, finding babysitters, and managing household responsibilities.

 

Today, we’re going to discuss easy ways you can reduce summer stress for your family.

 

7 Simple Ways To Manage Summer Stress

 

Most people look forward to summer but it can create anxiety and stress for families. Here are seven easy tips (you can start doing today) to reduce summer stress.

 

1.) Create a summer routine

 

Having a routine in the summer might not sound like fun but the truth is, we all thrive with routines in place – especially kids. The great thing about routines is that they can be created to suit your individual needs and lifestyle. If you need a more rigid routine to keep up with your work schedule or it just fits your kids’ personalities better, then do that. 

 

If you’re a stay-at-home parent and have more flexibility, create your routine around your family’s general sleep schedule and day-to-day activities. You can be flexible but also have structure to help manage expectations and free time. 

 

A routine will help you stay consistent. Even if you don’t want a rigid schedule, you can still have routines around the following:

• Sleep schedules
• Meal times
• Time for physical activity
• Chores and responsibilities

 

These transitions tend to be the most difficult for families and can easily spin out of control without structure. If you’re looking to have flexibility but still need some routines, keeping consistent with these times is helpful. 

 

2.) Get physical

 

Many kids feel like they worked hard all school year so they deserve to lounge around and watch TV – and they do! But everyone needs variety in their life. Physical activity is great for kids because it releases endorphins (feel-good hormones) which help them feel less stressed and improve their mood.¹

Physical activity doesn’t have to be intense. In fact, if your kids are more sedentary it’s probably a good idea to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine slowly, just 15-20 minutes a day. You can slowly increase the amount of time when they’re ready.

 

Physical activity is great for the whole family and there are many activities that you can do together, such as:

• Swimming
• Bike riding
• Hiking
• Walks around your neighborhood or town
• Basketball

 

Getting everyone involved is a great way to stay healthy and spend quality time together.

 

3.) Unplug and limit screen time

 

If there is one piece of parenting advice you’re bombarded with, it’s “limit screen time” which seems virtually impossible to do. Limiting screen time doesn’t have to be rigid or about creating hard rules.

 

Limiting screen time will look different for every family. It’s most important to find a balance between screen time and other activities, giving your brain a chance to use all its different parts. Different activities use different parts of your brain and release different chemicals in your brain. Engaging in different activities keeps your brain healthy.

 

You can reduce screen time in many ways. You can:

• Have times when you completely unplug
• Limit your screen time to a certain amount of time each day
• Have certain times of the day when screens are off limits (meal times, outside time, or when the whole family is doing something together)
• Track how much time you are spending on screen and slowly decrease that amount of time by 5-10 minutes each day

 

Limiting screen time is much easier when you’re not putting so much pressure on yourself. Just simply incorporating screen-free activities into your day will go a long way.

 

4.) Don’t overschedule 

 

The summer goes by fast. It’s easy to want to plan a lot of activities, trips, or vacations. Taking on too much can cause stress which makes what you’re doing less enjoyable.

 

The summer is a great time to be more intentional and mindful about your time. If you’re not sure how to do this, here are two easy ways you can be more intentional about your schedule.

 

• Prioritize activities based on your family’s values and interests: Are there certain community activities that your family enjoys? Is there an organization you’re involved in that’s important to you? Do your kids have interests or talents that are important to nurture? Once you figure out what is important to your family, it’s easy to know where to place your time.

 

• Ask yourself: is this adding value to our lives? If the answer is yes, then it’s probably something you want to continue. Your time is important. If any commitment/activity isn’t adding value to your life, consider taking it off your calendar and focus on what is truly important to you. 

 

5.) Plan family activities

 

The summer is a great time to take some time off, relax, and build family bonds. Planning family activities help with relationship building and creating long-lasting memories. 

 

Planning family activities doesn’t have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as watching a movie together, having a family picnic, or having a family game night. You can make this part of your routine by doing it daily or weekly. Or you can just do this a few times over the summer. Every family is different so planning these activities around your unique schedule is important. 

 

Making time when the whole family can do something together will help solidify family bonds and decrease summer stress.

 

6.) Model the behavior you’re looking for

 

Everyone in the family unit is connected and depends on each other. When one person in the family is stressed or anxious, it affects everyone. Your kids learn to navigate and interact with the world by watching you, so they’ll mimic what you do.

 

Modeling the behavior you’re looking for is important. If you can’t manage stress properly, your kids won’t learn how to either. 

 

Modeling behavior can be doing simple things like:

• Managing your stress
• Get enough sleep
• Eat regularly 
• Engage in regular self-care activities 
• Openly communicate with your family
• Set appropriate boundaries with others

 

Not only will this decrease your stress, but you’re teaching your kids how to manage their own stress and become emotionally resilient. 

 

7.) Brain training and neurofeedback

 

During the summer months, most kids’ brains are not engaged and challenged like they are during the school year. Keeping your brain engaged all year long is important for overall health. Many people start brain training to keep themselves mentally fit.

 

Brain training includes many different activities that keep your brain healthy and fit. Think of it like exercise for your brain. There are many different brain training activities but incorporating one or two into your everyday life can have a positive impact for years to come.²

Brain training activities can include:

• Reading
• Doing puzzles
• Doing crosswords, word searches, or Sudoku™
• Playing memory or strategy games
• Neurofeedback 

 

What Is Neurofeedback?

 

If you’ve never heard of neurofeedback before, it’s been around for decades. Neurofeedback monitors your brain activity and gives you information about it so that you can make adjustments.

 

There are two different types of neurofeedback, linear and nonlinear. Linear neurofeedback is a medical model treatment so it requires a medical diagnosis and needs to be completed by a trained professional, meaning you’ll need to go into an office to do your sessions. The professional will then set protocols on the neurofeedback system, trying to shift your brain to a standard, “healthy” pattern. 

 

Nonlinear neurofeedback allows you to do neurofeedback at home, without a medical diagnosis. This system doesn’t rely on any protocols but allows your brain to self-correct. NeurOptimal® is the most advanced, professional-grade at-home neurofeedback system on the market. 

 

NeurOptimal® is a dynamic system to use because it’s individualized to you. During a training session, you’ll simply listen to music or watch a movie. The software monitors sudden changes in electrical activity. When these changes are detected, it alerts you by a brief pause. It’s like a reset for the brain – bringing the brain to the present moment during moments of turbulence.  

 

That’s it.

 

Having your own system at home is so convenient and sessions are so quick (only 33 minutes long) that you can fit it into your summer schedule.

 

Now that you know what neurofeedback is, you’re probably wondering, why should I do neurofeedback?

Will it help decrease my summer stress?

 

What Are The Benefits Of Neurofeedback For Your Family?

 

NeurOptimal® keeps your brain fit but it also promotes the relaxation your family needs this summer. 

 

NeurOptimal® promotes:

• Healthy sleep habits
• Relaxation
• Stress management
• Focus and mental acuity 
• Feelings of increased confidence, and self-esteem
• Flexibility and resilience

 

Whole Family Neurofeedback utilizes the power of nonlinear neurofeedback training to help families become more productive and healthy. We’ve created a whole community of families who use neurofeedback and we provide support and education for anyone who wants to learn more about it.

 

If you want to learn more about neurofeedback and if it’s right for your family, join our Facebook group, neurofeedback mom (Dads welcome too!)

 

Join our supportive group where you discuss everything about neurofeedback and how it’s helping others.

 

In the group, you’ll get:

• Research-based information to help you make the best decisions for your family
• Live sessions with experts in the therapeutic, neurofeedback, and parenting fields
• Lifetime access to all live recordings – watch at your convenience!

 

If you want to reduce summer stress and learn more about neurofeedback, join Neurofeedback moms. We’re excited to connect with you inside the group!

 

Resources

1. Physical Activity and Mental Health: What’s The Connection? Massachusetts General Hospital. 2020. 
2. What Is Brain Training? Whole Family Neurofeedback. 2023.

Disclaimer: This site contains information on general health and wellness topics. Please note that Neuroptimal® has been designated a general wellness product by the FDA. The information on this site or in any linked materials should not be construed as medical advice. The information in this article is not intended to replace any recommendations by your physician.