Summer in Pennsylvania might be an idyllic, carefree time for kids, but it can be incredibly stressful for parents. Kids are bored, looking for stuff to do, and sometimes acting out—all of which can lead to mounting frustration for adults. In this stressful environment, it's no surprise that parental outbursts and reports of child abuse often increase over summer months.

So how can you keep your cool when your kids are home from school? Here are a few tips for how to manage your kids' summer free time and your own emotions.

Helping Your Kids Have a Great Summer

One way to set yourself up to have a peaceful summer is to find ways to fill your kids' time. This will benefit both you and them: they will have more fun, and they will be out of your hair. Try these strategies:

• Keep your kids on a schedule. As much as possible, try to keep your kids on a daily routine with roughly the same wake-up time, mealtimes, nap time for younger kids, and bedtime. This will help both you and your kids know what to expect from each day, which decreases anxiety and stress for all of you.
• Help your kids find ways to stay busy. If you have the means to send your kids to activities like summer camp or classes, those options can be a great way to give them a productive way to burn off some energy and spend their time. But there are many other options. Put together a list of simple activities that your kids can refer to and chose from whenever they feel bored, such as coloring, playing a board game, or reading. You can also work with other parents to set up playdates, where one of you will take the others' kids for an afternoon.

Giving kids structure and a productive way to occupy their time can decrease their stress level and give you some time alone, which will in turn decrease your stress level and make you more able to control your emotional reactions to your kids' misbehavior.

Taking Care of Yourself

You can also take steps to manage your emotions to better handle the challenging times when your kids are not perfectly behaved and your stress level is high. These strategies will help you manage your emotions during difficult times:

• Take time for yourself. As much as possible, try to find time to take care of yourself. Take time away from your kids to go get a coffee, take a walk, or do something else that helps you reduce your stress level.
• Keep up with your physical needs. It's incredibly difficult to be at your emotional best when you are sleep-deprived or hungry, so do yourself a favor and do what you need to do to be physically well. Try to keep a consistent routine of your own, with a set bedtime and the same mealtimes every day, as much as you can. This might not always be possible, but it can go a long way toward regulating your emotions.
• Take a pause in the moment when you are upset. When you feel yourself starting to get upset at your kids, briefly pause and take a deep breath to center yourself. Think about why you are really upset—are your kids the sole cause, or is your reaction also because you had a bad day at work? Or because this situation reminds you of something else in your life? If you can examine your feelings this way, you will often find that blowing up at your kids is not the best way to respond, and you can find another way.
• Ask for help. If you find that you're having trouble controlling your frustration or anger and responding appropriately when your kids push your buttons, it might be time to reach out to a friend or family member and ask for help. That might mean setting up a time to check in and share how you're feeling in a more productive way, or it might mean asking someone to babysit your kids while you get some alone time and re-center yourself.

Where to Go for Legal Help

Frustration is a normal part of parenting, and it's understandable to get upset at your kids sometimes. At times, though, this can be misunderstood as child abuse. If you're facing allegations of child abuse, LLF Law Firm and the Family Law Team can help you navigate the Pennsylvania legal system, clear your name, and protect your parental rights. Schedule a consultation online or call us at 888.535.3686 today.