Thriving During Summer: A Stay-at-Home Dad’s Guide to Parenting Five Kids

Summer is here, and for many parents, it's a time of mixed emotions. As a stay-at-home dad to five wonderful kids, I find the summer months both exciting and challenging. Balancing the needs of Collins (11), Maya (11), Colton (8), Calynn (almost 7), and Cash (2) requires creativity, patience, and a dash of planning. Here’s how we make the most of our summer together, creating lasting memories.

Embrace the Chaos Summer with kids is a whirlwind of activities, emotions, and constant motion. Embrace the chaos! It’s okay if the house isn’t spotless or if the kids have a bit more screen time than usual. The key is to find a balance that works for everyone. Flexibility is your friend.

A Loose Plan for Sanity While a rigid schedule doesn’t work for us, having a loose plan for each day helps keep everyone sane. We start our day with a “family meeting”, where I attempt to discuss our plans amidst the buzz of breakfast, coloring, and excited chatter about the day's activities.

Morning Adventures Our mornings, sometimes very early mornings, consist of breakfast and outdoor play. Whether it’s a trip to the park, a nature hike, or just playing in the backyard, we get our energy out early. My kids will be outside sometimes before 6:30 AM scootering, riding bikes, or on the swings. It’s reminiscent of the “Good morning my neighbors!” scene from Coming to America.

Mid-Morning Creativity Come mid-morning, if we aren’t at the beach or our destination, the kids are usually crafting, coloring, or we are outside riding bikes and playing games. Trash bags are easily accessible to manage any messes. Thankfully, the latest trend of Pokémon cards has minimized clutter.

Essential Quiet Time Lunch is always followed by quiet time. This is crucial for recharging—books, puzzles, or a bit of screen time for the older kids, and a nap for Cash…and maybe dad. After my early morning workout, I start to hit a wall by 1 PM and this downtime is essential.

Afternoon Activities In the late afternoon, we are normally back outside. It could be pool time or an evening beach session. Some nights the older kids have their recreational activities like martial arts, field hockey, or lacrosse.

Evening Wind-Down To finish off our day, we have dinner, bath time, and wind down with a family movie or story time. Tara usually gets home from work between 5-6 PM. During the school year, this is our routine, but since it’s summer, we enjoy chilling out on the front porch and soaking in the sunsets.

Fostering Independence With four of the kids home for the summer, teaching independence is essential. Collins is great at helping with chores, and Colton is learning to make simple snacks. Even Calynn enjoys setting the table, and Cash loves to "help" with putting away the dishes. These small tasks build confidence and lighten my load.

Self-Care is Key Being a stay-at-home dad is rewarding, but it’s also important to carve out time for yourself. Whether it’s an early morning jog, a quiet cup of coffee, or reading a good book after the kids are in bed, self-care helps me stay balanced and energized.

Parenting over the summer is a unique adventure, especially with five kids. By embracing the chaos, planning flexibly, fostering independence, creating special moments, and taking time for myself, I’ve found a rhythm that works for our family. As I look forward to getting back to work, I cherish these precious moments with Collins, Maya, Colton, Calynn, and Cash, knowing that these summers together are a gift.