Relate Isle of Man has six summer survival tips for parents.
It has issued the advice as calls to the charity often increase dramatically after the school holidays, as family tensions simmer during the break.
Its six tips are:
- Plan together. Whether you’re going away or staying put, it’s important to plan together as a family. Make everyone feel involved in plans and keep a chart with everyone’s wishes on it.
- Make hay while the sun shines. Make the most of what’s special about summer. Go for family walks during long evenings. Also look out for free or cheap events and summer schools.
- Turn down the heat. Arguments are often a part of family life, but take care to diffuse tensions before things get too heated. If your children are arguing, ask them to go into separate rooms and take five. You can do this too.
- Switch off. If you have time off work, make sure it’s really time off. So long as your boss is understanding, try not to check emails or work phones and focus on enjoying time with family.
- Reconnect. It’s common for parents not to see their friends as much, especially when children are very young. But summer provides a chance for reconnecting at activities like picnics and barbecues.
- Keep things sizzling. During the summer, older kids are often out doing their own thing, so this is a good opportunity for investing some time in your relationship with your partner.