- I have 11 kids ranging in age from a toddler to young adults.
- Since school isn’t in session, summer is when my family focuses on recharging.
- Intentional routines remain important, but each day is less scheduled in the summer.
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go.
In the summer, my busy family of 13 embraces a more laid-back approach to daily life.
Engaging with and looking after kids in the summer can be difficult — I know that better than most. But if you’re not one of the lucky ones whose schools started back up in early August, we’re in the home stretch.
At this point, I’ve pretty much cracked the code for keeping my kids mentally sharp, entertained, and fed during summer break while still managing my household. Plus, we all get more time to enjoy each other’s company.
Here’s what a typical summer day looks like for me as a mom with 11 kids.
5:30 to 6:30 a.m.: Quiet work time
I like to wake up early and review my plans for the day or week before the kids get up.
After filling out my planner, I outline my freelance writing assignment for the day and head to the kitchen to enjoy a cup of coffee and a few minutes of reading.
6:30 to 9:30 a.m.: Slow morning time and breakfast
Summer mornings are slow and relaxed in our house.
The kids can sleep in, though they usually don’t. Most prefer to get up and start on their list of simple tasks to earn their daily screen time.
Everyone’s list is different based on their needs and abilities. But they all need to eat breakfast before starting with screens, so they fix something whenever they’re ready.
Once the kitchen closes for the morning, the younger kids and I do the dishes.
9:30 to 11 a.m.: Lego build challenges and screen time
After breakfast, I issue a daily building challenge with our collection of Lego bricks. Anyone who completes it gets to pick a small reward from our treasure chest.
The kids then have their screen time while I read to the toddlers, do laundry, and check the mail.
11 to 11:30 a.m.: Household projects
At the beginning of the summer, we brainstormed several larger household projects we wanted to complete. These include decluttering, organizing our Lego collection, and taming the overgrown flower beds in front of the house.
We dedicate 30 minutes to one of these tasks several times a week. Slowly but surely, we are making progress.
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Lunch and family playtime
Each summer, we revamp our annual meal plan. “Snacky lunch” was on the menu today, so I set out various cheeses, crackers, lunch meats, and other odds and ends from the pantry.
Everyone filled a plate, and we ate outside in the sunshine.
After lunch, we played a game called Fire in the Forest together outside.
1 to 3:00 p.m.: Quiet time
While the toddlers nap, the rest of the kids pick a quiet activity to do in the afternoon. I try to get some work done or spend time relaxing and scrolling social media.
When the timer beeped, we cleaned our spaces and enjoyed ice-cream sandwiches from Aldi.
3:30 to 4 p.m.: Hobby development
I ask each kid to pick a new hobby to practice over the summer. This year, they chose things like balloon animals, printmaking, magic tricks, yo-yo, wood carving, and rock painting.
They practice for about half an hour twice a week. I stay close to help read directions or find YouTube videos for further guidance.
Not every hobby ends up being a hit, but I enjoy watching them explore new interests.
4 to 6 p.m.: Free time and dinner
The kids have free time later in the afternoon while I finish more work and prepare dinner. Today, they made a water slide using a hose and a kiddie pool.
While they played, I cooked garlic-butter noodles with ham, breadsticks, and veggies. When my husband got home from work, we gathered at the table and enjoyed a meal together.
Afterward, the big kids did the table chores.
6 to 8:15 p.m.: Family time and bedtime
After dinner, we headed back outside to enjoy the last of the sunshine. Some of the kids played a fun game of tag, and the rest of us cheered them on and chatted.
Afterward, we did a quick cleanup and started preparing for bed. My husband helped the younger kids while I cared for our son with Angelman Syndrome.
Then, we all gathered in the living room for devotions. We ended our evening by counting our blessings and praying together before tucking the middles and littles into bed.
8 to 8:30 p.m.: Special time with one of my kids
Each night, I spend one-on-one time with one of my older kids. This night, I enjoyed some special time with my 10-year-old.
We went on a walk together and talked about his recent Minecraft builds.
8:30 to 10 p.m.: Evening work and morning prep
Once the kids were in bed, I edited and submitted my writing assignment and started my evening routine. I set out my clothes, threw a load of laundry in, and loaded a few final dishes into the dishwasher.
These tasks don’t take long, but they help the next day go more smoothly.
Then, it was time for me to head to bed. Since I start my summer days early, I try to turn in at a decent hour to ensure I have the energy I need for the next morning.
Read next