BOND AS A FAMILY; THERE’S STILL TIME

For many families, summer is a time of transition.

Kids go off to camp or vacation Bible school, playing baseball and soccer. Teens take jobs so they’ll have clothes and wheels for the school year. College-bound young adults cram in as many trips to the beach as they can with pals they’ll say goodbye to in the fall.

Days fly right by. Before you know it, we moms will be dragging our babies out of bed, attending school plays and ballgames and juggling household chores and jobs.

But for now, we have the last vestiges of summer. And that means will still have opportunities to spend quality time with our children, relatives and friends.

Time to make memories.

For the Akers, that means weekends on the boat, cleaning scallops and backyard cookouts. Your kids may chafe at the idea (but I hope not) of spending time with Mom and Dad, but I hope you’ll firmly insist they carve out a little family time. You may have to trade them an extended curfew or allow them to bring a friend, but any trade-off you make will be worth it. Bribery is allowed when the goal is strengthening family ties.

Make it a priority now, because the years fly by. I know. It seems like just yesterday my girlfriends and I were loading up the car and heading to Daytona for a day of sand, sun, waves and maybe a new boy.

How I savored those days. But, looking back, they seem even more special today. Your kids will feel the same way about the moments you give them this summer. So plan a vacation, even if it’s just a day trip. There’s still time. And make sure your sons and daughters join you at the dinner table at least once a week. Better yet, involve them. They can shuck the corn while you steam the crab legs.

Have a family cornhole tournament or fishing contest. Toss horseshoes. Or head to the driving range for a longest-drive contest. And have silly prizes. Or costumes. Anything they’ll remember. Your kids may have 50 reasons why they can’t participate, but you should put your foot down. They’ve had two months to do what they want, hang out with friends, sleep late or set a world record in Bioshock. Don’t let them. Include them in family outings or, better yet, let them help you plan a day together.

They say youth is fleeting. They’re right. So is summer. In fact, it’s almost gone. But there’s still time to squeeze in some quality time together, even if it’s just an afternoon casting lines in the lake.

Go for it. You’ll be glad you did. And you’ll be living healthy.

Stay healthy,

Kendra Akers

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