Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from a few fun filled weeks away at one of the most beautiful and action packed summer camps on the planet. Parents who give their child the gift of an incredible summer also receive a gift themselves: A few weeks of glorious, kid-free bliss. Sure, parents will tear up as they drive away from camp, but two or three days into doing whatever they want without kids to consider, they’ll be just fine. Here are a few things all parents MUST do when their kids are away at camp:
- Sleep In- Without kids to wrangle, feed, dress, entertain and drive around, you’ll will find it very easy to hit snooze on the weekends, stay in bed, watch a marathon of your favorite show, and get up when YOU’RE ready. Enjoy your mornings like you did pre-kids, and don’t feel bad about it one bit.
- Stay out later- If sleeping in doesn’t feel natural to you anymore, consider “going all out” and staying out later than you usually do. Without bedtime schedules to follow and tired, cranky kids to rush you home, you can hang out with friends or your spouse until you can’t keep your eyes open anymore!
- Travel- Family vacations are priceless, but kid-free vacations aren’t too bad either. Plan a getaway with friends, or a romantic getaway with your other half. Book excursions that you enjoy, go places that you’ve always dreamed of, but knew it’d be close to impossible to enjoy with the kids in tow. And just think, you’ll only have to pack YOUR suitcase and focus on what things YOU need to bring, instead of being responsible for one or two extra suitcases.
- Pamper Yourself- Maybe you’ve been meaning to make time for yourself, but you just can’t find an extra hour in between school reports, soccer games, work, dinner and karate class. With the kids away and an open schedule, make time to get a massage, a pedicure, a haircut. Or do something else that relaxes you, like go for a long run, take a yoga class or play a game of golf.
- Go on a date- Reconnect as a couple by enjoying a few quality date nights while the kids are away. Enjoy the freedom of not having a babysitter to book and no underlying pressure to get back home. Go somewhere new, or head back to your favorite place. Wherever you go, enjoy the time strengthening your relationship as a couple, it’ll do wonders for your entire family when the kids come back and it is time to adjust to being a unit again
- See a movie- When was the last time YOU got to pick the movie you went to see or rented and watched at home? Browse the latest movies and go see it with your spouse or friends, or rent something and watch it at home. If you decide to stay home, pop some popcorn and grab an adult beverage and enjoy the show. Turn the sound up during the action scenes; there aren’t kids at home to wake up!
- Experiment in the kitchen- If picky kid palettes prevent you from trying new recipes and dishes, use this time to whip something up in the kitchen that sounds good to you! You can take all the time you need preparing and cooking these new dishes, and don’t have brutally honest kids to stick their nose up at it or complain about it. Channel your inner gourmet chef and create a culinary masterpiece!
You will miss your kids, and when the summer is over you’ll be ready to hug them and hear all about their adventures. But while they are swimming, dancing, running, boating, biking, hiking, and laughing their summer away, take time to do things for you; you deserve it!
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