Does the thought of summer vacation have you daydreaming of the swimming pool, cuddles, and fun or does the thought of summer send you into panic mode, searching for a tall glass of wine?

Whether you love it or hate it, summer vacation is almost here (which in my case is great because both the kids and I have been checked out of school mode for at least a month)! Summer vacation is a change for the entire family but let’s be real, moms get the brunt of the change in routine, activities, and attitudes. For some of us, with the kids home we start putting our needs last, which if you are like me, leads to a snippy mom, snarky wife, and unhappy woman. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

I thought it’d be really fun to put together a list of six summer sanity must-dos for moms. These are not the things to do with our kids (that’s another post for another day). These are the summer must-dos for moms, that give us that extra bounce in our step, a smile on our face, and leave us ready to take on all things summer. So are you ready for the list? Here we go!

1. Go on dates with your significant other. 

By getting out of the house, I quit thinking about all of the things I didn’t get done, which kid was getting on my nerves, and can focus on having fun with my man. I’m a big advocate of weekly date nights. If you’re single, try to meet a friend for coffee, brunch, or a window shopping adventure. Be creative! Your kids will always be thankful you invested in your relationship with their father.

2. Schedule regular appointments (such as hair appointments, massage, nail . . . whatever you need to do) for yourself and don’t feel guilty about it.

I used to have this problem with hair appointments! I didn’t want to find a babysitter, tried to talk myself out of the extra expense . . . the list went on and on! I have learned though that I can’t be the best mom (or wife) to anyone without taking care of myself. It’s also really important to teach your children how important it is to take care of themselves!

3. Get together with friends who have kids.

Getting together with friends doesn’t have to be hard, or mean that you must have a clean house! Meet at the park, bowling alley, or take turns having each other over at your own home (and don’t worry about the house being spotless, a real friend doesn’t care). Kids will play and you can enjoy some girlfriend time! Try some backyard games, picnics, or outside sports to keep the kids busy and happy.

4. Sign up for a few summer day camps.

I think day camps are awesome! By signing your kids up for something that they enjoy, they are happy. You also are happy because you have some time to do whatever you need to do. 

5. Trade days with a friend.

Tell Marcy you will watch her kids on Tuesday if she will watch your kids the following Tuesday. This makes it very easy to schedule your hair cuts (see #2 above), plan a date, clean your home, or have some alone time! This works best with friends that have about the same number of kids you have (I’ve always felt guilty asking my friends to watch my crew of 5 when they have 2 kiddos . . .) but some moms really don’t mind watching a few extras. I’ve found with my kids that when we have others over my kids are entertained, happy and it actually is an easy day for me!

6. Set up a “day of the week” schedule.

Schedules help everybody stay in routine. Kids like knowing what is going to happen on which day so setting up a “day of the week” schedule can help everyone’s sanity. Some ideas could be stay home Mondays, play at the park on Tuesday, picnic Wednesday, going to the pool on Thursday, etc. Whatever works and flows for your family is a good schedule. You don’t have to do something every day, either. Do what works best for you and your kids will enjoy knowing what is going to happen on those days.

Summer is supposed to be fun! What are your favorite summer sanity must-dos for moms?