Recap: How Juju and I Spent the Summer

Now that Summer is around the corner, I had to reflect on last summer for some motivation. Juju and I had a pretty lit summer! I can’t lie: I was a little nervous about how last summer was going to go since we are in a pandemic, but I found that planning kids’ summer activities doesn’t have to be hard.

Finding things to do with kids in the summer is all about balancing their interests and their needs. For example, Juju is a middle schooler with ADD so I knew I had to keep her schedule tight, get in some movement everyday, all while making sure she had fun.

Here’s some highlights of the past few months:

Virtual Camp

Virtual camp was our BFF last season. Every morning, Juju got to log on and connect with other kids her age and keep her mind stimulated with the topics she was learning about at camp. She built science experiments, made art projects and more. If I walked in and her room was a mess, I knew she had a good day at camp!

We all have those unforgettable camp moments from childhood and I really wanted them for her, too. With virtual camp she was able to experience that while staying safe in our home.

#Momty Tip: Managing Juju’s ADD was much easier when she knew what to expect every day and she had a visual of what success looked like. Camp was a cornerstone of her daily schedule and because it was virtual, she had the visual instructions she needed to successfully complete her tasks.

Action Item: I personally love outschool.com for online classes as you find anything from writing to cooking classes. You can even create your own summer schedule from their offerings.

Junior Lifeguard & Swim Team

Beyond the importance of knowing how to swim, Juju loves the water. So I knew joining the swim team and lifeguard classes would be the perfect summer activity for her. We’re always going to the beach and our pool, so I had to make sure she is a strong swimmer.

Taking her to practice was one of the ways I snuck in some active time for her between all the virtual and at-home activities.

#Momty Tip: Movement is key. Scheduling physical activity every day keeps your kid’s body healthy and builds a routine that they can rely on. (If she wasn’t swimming, we took walks or rode bikes and scooters.)

Action Item: I also always find the local recreation center or YMCA for an in person experience. Sometimes they have pro-rated and/or scholarships for families. For pricier summer camps, I try to apply before the new year so that you get scholarships, if offered.

Family Fun!

We have a pretty tight-knit family, so even in a pandemic it was important to me that Juju feel that love and support around her. The saying is true: it takes a village to raise a child, and sometimes the village just needs to come get their child!

Along with countless cousin visits to LA and hanging out with Grandma, Juju also went back home to DC to visit her cousins there (and give me a break). She had a blast and it also gave me some time to recharge. When everyone was here in LA, we took them to Six Flags, the pool, out to eat, you name it. They were living their best lives!

#Momty Tip: It’s easy for healthy choices to go out the window when guests are in town. Do your best to keep the kids on track, though. Juju is much more balanced when we cut out excess sugars and artificial dyes so I always keep that in mind when we make our food choices, even while eating out.

So that’s how we spent the last summer! We kept the schedule tight, but fun and I squeezed in as much family time as possible. Juju’s excited to get into some summertime fun, and I have to top last summer.