The time to plan your summer

I thought I did a good job of planning our summer this year. I had researched a bunch of camps that my son was interested in, put some reminders on my calendar of when to do sign ups, and triple-checked all the plans and payments just as Spring had started.

I thought I was ahead of the game. But no, I should probably start planning for summer in January.

Some folks think that the best time to plan summer is in January, so you can look at your entire budget for the year. While I agree that there is something wonderful about thinking of all the warm weather fun to be had when the days are still chilly and gray, I think it is more likely that you'll need a few planning sessions. Not all camps and free resources have their schedules up and available that early in the year.

For many parents, summer can be a juggle of schedules - both for work and play. There is the pressure to create meaningful memories, the pressure to ensure that everyone knows the schedule and the pressure to ensure there is a mix of scheduled and non-scheduled activities.

I know all this, and I only have one child...I can't imagine what it is like for parents of multiples.

Summers should be fun - for both parents and children - but I guess you have to get an early start to make that happen.

How did you do planning your child's summer? Tell me in the comments.