Hey guys! It’s your resident summertime family man here again. Now that summer is in full swing, I wanted to give you all an update on how this working dad is handling having the kids home and the family off on fun adventures without me. I’ll be honest – it’s had its ups and downs! Let me break it down for you…

Missing Out on Precious Family Time

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing my wife and kids having fun together, making memories at summer camps and taking day trips while I’m working. But staring at my computer screen up in this attic day after day can get pretty lonely! 

It’s tough not being able to join in on those spontaneous weekday outings to the zoo or the water park. And knowing my family is off adventuring without me makes it so much harder to stay motivated at work sometimes. I find myself daydreaming about packing up my laptop and heading out for some family fun instead.

Trying Not to Feel Bitter

I’ll admit, it can be difficult to swallow my feelings of bitterness or jealousy over missing out on quality time with my kids. Summer is so short, and I know how valuable these memories are that they’re making without me.

But ultimately I know my job is what makes these summer activities possible for my family in the first place. And I try to focus on the positives – like how excited the kids are to tell me about their day when I get home, or planning something extra fun for the weekends.

Carving Out Family Time

The summer weeks sure can drag while I’m trapped in work-land. But carving out quality family time, even if it’s not as often as we’d all like, makes it worthwhile.

I try to take advantage of days off and weekends as much as possible. We’ve had some great adventures on our family “weekends” together – we’ve gone camping, taken a mini road trip to a water park, and had an epic living room fort building competition. 

And even just simple things like pizza night, backyard camping, or watching a movie together help me feel connected to my family amidst my long work weeks.

Looking Ahead to School Days

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the return of school days and more of a routine schedule. I know I’ll miss my kids when they’re back at school, but having more aligned schedules with my family will be nice too.

For now, I’ll continue cherishing the family time we do get together this summer. And before I know it, we’ll be school supply shopping and enjoying those long weekend days free for family fall adventures. The countdown is on!

Wrapping Up  

Whelp, that pretty much sums up this working dad’s summertime struggles! Can any of you parents and spouses relate? Let me know your tips for balancing work and family time during the summer. And wish me luck as I gear up to join my crazy crew for some weekend shenanigans. Until next time!