Officially, summer is still almost a month away, but for many families the end of the school year is the start of summer vacation and a time of definite change in the routine. Maybe this summer your kids have a busy schedule of sports, camps and sports camps, music or dance or swimming lessons, maybe a job, and a whole list of other activities. Maybe there will be a family vacation, weekend camping, and a trip to see grandparents. There are many good reasons people look forward to summertime.

Your kids might also be eager for some days when they have nothing on the calendar and they can live each moment as it comes. Some of that is good for them; unstructured time can lead to creative thinking and new discoveries. But at some point they might need help finding a balance between enjoying free time and being lazy. There’s also a lot of value in learning responsibility and making positive contributions to the household. Along with all that …

What do you hope to accomplish as a dad this summer?

The more relaxed schedule should provide some opportunities to invest in your kids in intentional, purposeful ways. If you haven’t already, this weekend is a good time to think about each child and make some plans together.

What is each child going through? What issues will he or she likely be dealing with in the next six or twelve months? What skills would you like to help each one develop? What virtues do you want to see grow in them? Or, more simply, what do they enjoy that you could do together on a regular basis?

This could lead you to schedule a few days away with each child, one-on-one. Or maybe you can start a new tradition where you take a short trip with each child when he or she reaches a certain age—so you’ll have one special trip this summer and the younger siblings will look forward to their chance in a few years. Then you can repeat it with each one at an older age.

Maybe it’s a new weekly habit with each child—a round of golf or mini golf, a coffee or ice cream date, a baseball game or soccer match, an evening out exploring your area or stargazing, a hike, a fishing trip, or a day at the beach. Keep your radar on for fun activities in your area that each of your kids are likely to enjoy, and make plans to try it. Even if you have an infant or toddler, you can find ways to enjoy some father-child time.

Dad, you only have so many summers with your kids.

Maybe you’ll have eighteen, then some random weeks during the summer when they’re home from college. And if you don’t always live with your kids, those opportunities might seem even more precious. Any older dad will tell you that the years fly by. So please don’t just coast through the next ten or eleven weeks. Be purposeful. Make some plans. Make some memories with your kids.

Dad, what plans are you making with your kids for the summer? Share some of your ideas and see what other dads are planning on our Facebook page.