Summer sunMy husband and I do not like to be hot. We'll keep the heat down all winter so that we can crank up the AC in the summer. It's no surprise, then, that my daughters feel the same way. When the sun is high in the sky and the temperature tops 85 degrees, they're nowhere to be found. "It's too hot to play outside!" they shout as they head inside to turn on the television or play a video game. Hot days have turned my daughters into couch potatoes.
While I don't mind the occasional game on the Wii or movie during the summer, I don't want my daughters to learn bad habits that will stay with them a lifetime. How can I help them beat the "It's too hot!" blues and avoid becoming little couch potatoes?
Get outside at night or in the morning.
During the school year, my daughters are used to watching a show or playing a game before they head to school in the morning and before bed in the evening. During the summer, these are usually the coolest times of day. Keep the technology off and head out to play before the sun starts scorching.
Get wet every day.
The best way to beat the summer heat is to go out and get wet! The pool, a sprinkler, water guns, the hose, and water balloons are all fun ideas that we've employed to help motivate our daughters to get outside during the summer.
Enjoy a change of scenery.
I use this tactic often, and for various reasons. Kids driving me nuts? Bickering getting out of control? Baby won't take a nap? To the car! A quick run to the grocery store, a trip to the playground, and a visit to grandma's pool mean that my daughters aren't zoning out in front of technology all day long.
Set technology time.
When all else fails, I've insisted on set technology time with my daughters. They can have 30 minutes of tech in the morning, an hour around mid-day, when it's the hottest outside, and 30 minutes before bed. Make sure it coincides with the hottest times of day, or when your kids are most likely to want to relax with a show or a game.
Play with them.
My children are much more likely to tell me that it's too hot, they're too tired, or that they're bored when they're playing without adult supervision. This is especially true on long summer days where we have no major adventures planned. Make sure you're getting up and staying active with your children during the summer. Don't be that couch potato you worry about them turning into! Set a positive example that they can learn from and take with them once the summer is gone.
Kelly Herdrich is a Yahoo! Shine Parenting Guru. When she's not out playing with her three daughters, she can be found writing, blogging, and knitting. She's a recovering summertime couch potato.
