Summer is an amazing time for your children’s wellbeing, but what if your family wellness has recently been impacted by a divorce? ‘If you’re going through a divorce, it has nothing to do with your kids enjoying their summer. As parents, you both have to rise above your differences when it comes to the children,’ says Lois Tarter, author of new book The Divorce Ritual, ‘The divorce is tough on kids, but making them live it every day emotionally with you is not fair.’ So how can you ensure that your children still have a brilliant summer, regardless of what has happened between you and your partner?
1. Talk about money. The best way to ensure that you and your ex are not arguing all summer long is to discuss everything upfront, especially with regards to the summer budget. Talk about the activities your children might like to do over the summer, including day camps, and work out the costs beforehand so there are no surprises.
2. Set up a schedule. If you do plan to send your kids to day camps or activity days, plan a schedule in which one of you drops them off and one of you picks them up. This means that your kids will feel you are both involved in their lives.
3. Blog about your summer. Set up a summer blog for 2013 so that you and your kids can post pictures and stories about the fun things you can do together. Then, your kids and your ex can blog too, and everyone will feel involved in the family blog subject. As an added bonus, blogging helps to develop your children’s writing skills.
4. Get them reading. Visit your local library for a summer reading list, as these are always full of enjoyable recommendations. Getting your kids involved in a popular book series will help take their minds off of the divorce and onto something that’s creative. Plus, a good book can help to get your children outside reading, instead of cooped up in front of the TV.
5. Make meals together: Whether you work on a family baking recipe, or do some summer barbecuing together, cooking with your children is a real sign of independence for them, as it shows you trust them. Why not let them pick what you’re going to have once a week, and then prepare their favourite meal together.
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