ROUTINE IS KEY FOR A HAPPY, ORGANIZED SUMMER FOR KIDS

I really enjoy the first week of summer break. Sleeping in, no morning rush, pajamas for half the day.

Then there comes a point where I need more routine; not a ton, but just enough.

It takes some efort to find the balance between structure and summer freedom. The challenge is allowing for downtime and relaxing from a stressful school year and still being productive.

I have learned that kids thrive on routine — a predictable routine for the family each day.

Here are a few ideas to provide just enough routine and create memories at the same time.

Create a summer bucket list

Everyone has summer expectations — things they look forward to doing, places they want to visit, people they want to spend time with. If they aren’t planned, and written down, when the end of summer comes, you’ll look back and say, “I didn’t do anything I really wanted to do.”

A summer bucket list doesn’t mean we will do everything on the list, but it certainly gives us a visual, of a few things, that will help every member of the family feel like they had a good summer. The only way for this to work is to include everyone in your family in the creation of the list.

By Alisa Adams

Chores for everyone

Everyone is home. That means everyone has ample opportunity in helping to maintain the home. For us, chores during the summer happen at the same time every day, right after breakfast. Knowing the expectation gets them done early in the day and allows for plenty of time for summer fun.

Build in daily time for academics, creativity and learning new skills

Time for online classes, musical instruments, workbooks, arts and crafts. There should be quiet time for reading and time for learning new skills.

Even with a routine, there is plenty of time for spontaneity.

Structure doesn’t have to ruin summer fun. When the house is in order and the important ‘have-to-do’ things are scheduled, there is less reluctance for the ‘fun’ of summer: friend time, a day trip, dinner out, time at the splash pad or/and afternoons at the beach.

Just enough routine in summer days will allow you to focus on the moments and create memories.

For more tips and specifics on creating a summer routine, follow my Facebook page @AlisaAdamsStyle.

Hillsborough County Reminds

Residents To Conserve Water And Review Their Watering Days And Hours

Hillsborough County has received very little rain this year — just 4.40 inches in the first four months. The average rainfall for the county for the first four months is 10.93 inches.

With the lack of rainfall, all water users in unincorporated Hillsborough County are subject to year-round lawn watering restrictions. Lawn watering drives peak customer water demand, and the restrictions help to balance the demand and prevent low water pressure.

Allowable watering days and hours for most water sources, uses and methods:

• Street addresses ending in 0, 1, 2 or 3: Mondays and/or Thursdays.

• Street addresses ending in 4, 5 or 6: Tuesdays and/or Fridays.

• Street addresses ending in 7, 8 or 9: Wednesdays and/or Saturdays.

• Common areas with or without addresses, locations with no address and locations with mixed addresses: Wednesdays and/or Saturdays.

• No watering is allowed on Sundays.

Watering may occur in only one of the two designated watering periods per day, between midnight and 8 a.m., or between 6 p.m. and 12 Midnight, on the allowable watering days.

Customers using reclaimed water may water on any day of the week, either before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

The use of drinking or reclaimed water for watering lawns must not be wasteful and unnecessary. Irrigation systems should be operated in a prudent manner to ensure that water does not collect or run-of from the system does not occur. Irrigation should