Summer is my absolute favorite season.
I love how time slows down just a little, and I feel like I can just breathe for a minute.
That’s not to say that we aren’t still crazy busy during summer. There are some days that I know we are more busy than we ever thought about being during the school year.
To help on those super busy days, here are five summer hacks every mom needs in her life.
1. Frozen Aloe Vera Cubes
Ya’ll. This is just genius.
You simply squirt the aloe vera into a regular ice cube tray and freeze it.
Whenever someone gets a sunburn (it’s summer in Texas, so it’s going to happen at least once), you pop an aloe vera cube out and rub it all over the burn.
Aloe vera already feels great on a burn, but ice cold aloe vera? AMAZING.
2. Pack Outfits in Socks
We went to Disney last fall and flew with Spirit Airlines. We got tickets for two adults and two children for only $300 roundtrip.
It was a great deal, and there was only one little catch.
Each person could carry on a small backpack for free, but to check a bag cost $60.
We did the obvious thing and stuffed as many clothes into four backpacks as we could, brought some laundry detergent, and washed clothes at Disney.
If we’d used this ingenious packing method, we could have probably fit everything into ONE backpack!
3. Cupcake Liners on Popsicles
Maybe this one isn’t new to you, but it certainly was for me.
My kids have been staining shirts with popsicles since 2008, so this hack rocked my world.
You just use a cupcake liner like a little bowl around the base of the popsicle. It catches all the drips and saves all the shirts.
4. Phone Number Tattoos
Trying to get my four kids to all move in the same direction is a lot like herding cats.
There’s always one of them wandering off, not paying attention, or deciding to simply lay down in the middle of the sidewalk while the rest of our family plows ahead.
I’m so scared we are going to lose one.
But then I found these Quick Stick Write-on! Child ID Tattoos.
They’re so cool!
You simply write your phone number on them and then peel and stick them to your child’s arm. They are waterproof and last for up to two weeks!
They are available on Amazon in packs of 6 for $10.99 (free shipping for Prime members).
They’ve got all different themes available – dinosaurs, race cars, princesses, beach stuff, etc.
They even have a set for children with allergies, so that you can write your child’s allergies on them before sending them to Vacation Bible School, camp, etc!
5. Pre-packed Bags
Put those school backpacks to use again this summer!
Pack a bag for the places you go often.
For example, put all of your swimming gear (towels, suits, googles, toys, etc.) in a bag so that when you get ready to go to the pool, everything is already together. If your family is anything like mine, this will save you at least thirty minutes of searching for bathing suits and towels.
Besides a pool bag, you might want to pack a park bag, children’s museum/zoo bag, or movie theater bag.
Older kids love being in charge of things. So make a checklist of everything that needs to be in the bag, and give the responsibility of keeping the bag stocked to one of your kids.
6. Bonus: Grace
Right now, give yourself grace for the rest of the summer.
There is no way you are going to be as fun, skinny, spontaneous, healthy, fashionable, organized, or whatever as all of your mom friends on Instagram.
But that’s okay.
You will be a great mom to your kids.
God gave your kids the perfect mom – YOU.
He knew when he blessed your life with them, that you were flawed. He knows every single one of your flaws, and he loves you anyways.
Your kids think that you are the best mom, and they are absolutely right.
So give yourself grace, and try to quit comparing yourself to other moms.
And if you just can’t quit comparing, at least remind yourself how awesome you are at XYZ whenever you feel like you’re failing at ABC.
I know for me personally, I am not spontaneous and fun. I love plans and day planners and post-it notes and over sized calendars.
For me to be excited about a day at the pool, I need at least 24 hours notice. That way I have time to make a meticulous check list and then go through each item like its for a grade.
So, whenever I see pictures from moms who stopped at a splash pad on the way home from the grocery store, and their kids are just playing in the water in their clothes, I feel super guilty for not being more fun.
But then I remind myself, that I am a boss at planning and packing.
When my family goes on vacation, we have every, single situation covered. My love for checklists and planning pays off because we are never without the necessities and rarely without extras.
