It’s the first day of summer: celebrate!  But if you’re like most parents, you’ve already had your kids out of school for two weeks or more, so you might be feeling a little, well, maxed out.

During those two weeks you’ve, no doubt, mediated between sibling squabbles, planned outings to places your kids would love to go and not necessarily somewhere you wanted to go. And if you’re like me, if you moved during those first two weeks of summer you probably feel frazzled.

So, on the first day of summer, after we all did chores and hit the neighborhood water park, we came home tired.  And the kids started bickering alternating with a lot of chatter and requests.

Hence, the inspiration for the Summer Survival Kit: Parents Edition.

Here’s what you’ll need:

a Shoebox

a folding deck chair

a glass

a tasty to-go soda, tea, drink, or even water bottle

a snack

a book or magazine

Put a baggie over the glass.  You’ll understand why later.

If you have a big closet, this is a perfect place to store your kit.

And your chair.

No lock?  If you have older kids this is no worry, because if they knock and you say, “Don’t come in.” they’ll naturally assume you’re dressing and run the other way.

No walk-in closet? No problem if you have a bathroom closet…

I fully remember the days when a locked door in the bathroom was the only privacy I got.  This is the reason you might want a bag over  your glass.  Yes, it’s stored away, but it’s still the bathroom!

And if you don’t have a big enough bathroom, I did discover that in a pinch this might do:

After all, behind the shower curtain is still one of the best hide-and-seek places there are.

Oops, almost forgot – better add a timer or clock to your kit.  After all, it is an emergency survival kit to be used responsibly.  Cheers!

(Most of you who know me know I’m kidding…sort of.)