Embassy Kids' Ultimate Summer Prep Checklist
for FS Parents
Hey there, FS Parents! Can you believe it's time to start prepping for summer 2024? Time sure does fly!! If you feel like it is too early to plan for summer, hear me out....
Last summer I had a conversation with parent that had me feeling a tad behind on my summer planning game. By February they had already rented cars and set up summer appointments. Talk about motivation!! That got me going. I got to work on making my summer plans and I was glad I did because I got my choice of doctors appointment times and my pick of camps and places to stay! This summer I have a tested, proven summer prep checklist ready for you, with a few lessons learned.
(Stay tuned to the end for a free summer prep checklist template🥳)
Last summer I had a conversation with parent that had me feeling a tad behind on my summer planning game. By February they had already rented cars and set up summer appointments. Talk about motivation!! That got me going. I got to work on making my summer plans and I was glad I did because I got my choice of doctors appointment times and my pick of camps and places to stay! This summer I have a tested, proven summer prep checklist ready for you, with a few lessons learned.
(Stay tuned to the end for a free summer prep checklist template🥳)
✅Lock in the big picture timeline
Start big picture, run it by friends and family to make sure you aren't missing anything, but be ready to shift a bit based on camp availability changing schedules, etc. I do this in a paper, monthly calendar for a birds eye view.
✅Book all necessary doctor/dentist appointments
I was able to book most appointments months out, but a couple said their schedules weren't open yet and to check back in May. I was a-okay being ahead of the game! We scheduled all of our annual doctor and dentist appointments in the same, single week. It was A LOT but I'd do it again to have it all done with. I didn't get much else done that particular week because some of the appointments needed follow ups too. Leave a little space for follow ups and recovery from all this running around.One other tip here, if you'll be meeting with doctors in the states, this might be a good time to take back medical records to your US providers. The kids pediatrician suggested this and I thought it was an excellent idea to keep all records in one place and to keep them up to speed for any annual check-ups we have to do stateside.
✅Engage the Kids in Summer Camp / Other Activities Planning
It's always good to start looking for camps early. Last year my kids were not too enthusiastic about a 3 week sleep-away camp. I convinced them to try it and while they said they didn't love it, I loved that they weren't bored at home. This year we'll be in a different part of the country for most of the summer so it is not an option for them to return to the same sleep away camp. They are opting for traditional day-camps this year with areas of speciality by interest. I started looking for camps two weeks ago and I was surprised to see a lot of the day camps were not open yet; however, the sleep-away camps definitely are. Camp can fill up fast when it opens so do your research and keep an eye on this!Don't forget about other activities you want to get on the books and watch for deals! I am still kicking myself for not getting us Beyonce tickets last year when were happened to be in the same city as her tour for one night.
✅Book Your Accommodations
Whether you are staying with friends and family, a cabin in the woods, or something beach front, book early! Watch for cancellation penalties in case things change.
✅Book Travel
Do you have any points to use? Turn on flight/price change alerts. Check out your rental car prices. Make sure you have all the right travel documents.
✅Circle Back with Friends & Family
Even though I let family know of our plans way in advance, when I circled back with them to confirm our actual plans it was like they were hearing about the trip and the dates for the first time. It's a lot for us and less for them. So don't feel bad if friends and family aren't planning as far ahead as we are!
✅Suitcases
Whenever we go back, we pack the small suitcase inside the big suitcase so it's less to travel home with, but it gives us space for any summer shopping we do. We usually leave the big suitcases at someone's house while we are on our summer adventures and grab them again when we are packing up to go home.If you haven't already, if kids have specific friends they want to see when you are home this is a great time to remind your kids to let their friends know they'll be back for a bit.
✅Keep Your Summer Plans Organized & Documented
It's helpful for you to make the plans and now what's what, it's extra helpful to empower everyone in the family and share the plan details so they also know who is going where without having to ask you. I documented our summer plans in a simple google doc last year and I'll do it again. Here's the template for you if you want to use it too - click this link and make a copy to be able to edit it. This simple 2 page template turned into 12 pages of schedule and flight details after we filled it all up! I hope it helps you too!Is is it a PCS summer?
Of course, if it is a PCS summer for you, you'll have a bit more to do too.What to keep, what to give away, school records, etc. That's a list for another day! What did I miss? For now, what did I miss on this summer checklist? I know I'm forgetting something. Share your summer prep tips in the Toolbox Facebook group so we can continue to help each other enjoy this incredible adventure.
Here's to a summer of making memories!!!
And here are a few photos from our last summer's adventures.
Start big picture, run it by friends and family to make sure you aren't missing anything, but be ready to shift a bit based on camp availability changing schedules, etc. I do this in a paper, monthly calendar for a birds eye view.
✅Book all necessary doctor/dentist appointments
I was able to book most appointments months out, but a couple said their schedules weren't open yet and to check back in May. I was a-okay being ahead of the game! We scheduled all of our annual doctor and dentist appointments in the same, single week. It was A LOT but I'd do it again to have it all done with. I didn't get much else done that particular week because some of the appointments needed follow ups too. Leave a little space for follow ups and recovery from all this running around.One other tip here, if you'll be meeting with doctors in the states, this might be a good time to take back medical records to your US providers. The kids pediatrician suggested this and I thought it was an excellent idea to keep all records in one place and to keep them up to speed for any annual check-ups we have to do stateside.
✅Engage the Kids in Summer Camp / Other Activities Planning
It's always good to start looking for camps early. Last year my kids were not too enthusiastic about a 3 week sleep-away camp. I convinced them to try it and while they said they didn't love it, I loved that they weren't bored at home. This year we'll be in a different part of the country for most of the summer so it is not an option for them to return to the same sleep away camp. They are opting for traditional day-camps this year with areas of speciality by interest. I started looking for camps two weeks ago and I was surprised to see a lot of the day camps were not open yet; however, the sleep-away camps definitely are. Camp can fill up fast when it opens so do your research and keep an eye on this!Don't forget about other activities you want to get on the books and watch for deals! I am still kicking myself for not getting us Beyonce tickets last year when were happened to be in the same city as her tour for one night.
✅Book Your Accommodations
Whether you are staying with friends and family, a cabin in the woods, or something beach front, book early! Watch for cancellation penalties in case things change.
✅Book Travel
Do you have any points to use? Turn on flight/price change alerts. Check out your rental car prices. Make sure you have all the right travel documents.
✅Circle Back with Friends & Family
Even though I let family know of our plans way in advance, when I circled back with them to confirm our actual plans it was like they were hearing about the trip and the dates for the first time. It's a lot for us and less for them. So don't feel bad if friends and family aren't planning as far ahead as we are!
✅Suitcases
Whenever we go back, we pack the small suitcase inside the big suitcase so it's less to travel home with, but it gives us space for any summer shopping we do. We usually leave the big suitcases at someone's house while we are on our summer adventures and grab them again when we are packing up to go home.If you haven't already, if kids have specific friends they want to see when you are home this is a great time to remind your kids to let their friends know they'll be back for a bit.
✅Keep Your Summer Plans Organized & Documented
It's helpful for you to make the plans and now what's what, it's extra helpful to empower everyone in the family and share the plan details so they also know who is going where without having to ask you. I documented our summer plans in a simple google doc last year and I'll do it again. Here's the template for you if you want to use it too - click this link and make a copy to be able to edit it. This simple 2 page template turned into 12 pages of schedule and flight details after we filled it all up! I hope it helps you too!Is is it a PCS summer?
Of course, if it is a PCS summer for you, you'll have a bit more to do too.What to keep, what to give away, school records, etc. That's a list for another day! What did I miss? For now, what did I miss on this summer checklist? I know I'm forgetting something. Share your summer prep tips in the Toolbox Facebook group so we can continue to help each other enjoy this incredible adventure.
Here's to a summer of making memories!!!
And here are a few photos from our last summer's adventures.