IT'S HOT! WHAT CAN THE KIDS DO?
This much hot weather makes life more frustrating and difficult. It's not your imagination; everybody is having these problems. NUMBER ONE is SAFETY. Hydrate! Drink Water! Do not go on a hike in the desert! Do not be outside if there is any possibility of lightning. If your children are outside riding bikes or scooters, they must wear a bike helmet!!
IDEAS.
WATER PLAY! Water play is terrific for nearly everyone. Again, SAFETY! If you have a backyard pool, have or GET a second fence, which separates the pool from the house. This must have a fairly high chain link fence with a self-latching gate. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE DROWNINGS in the Toddler to Age 5 Age Group. Drowning is the largest cause of death in this age group! Life jackets are excellent, swim lessons are of some use. But the DOUBLE FENCE is the only proven help! If you can afford a pool, you can afford the inner fence!!!
With that said, I highly recommend water play, with supervision! They can run about in a spray from a hose, they can visit a YMCA or City pool, they can visit a Splash Pad, you can get a tiny backyard plastic wading pool (and supervise.) They will love it, and it burns energy!
Of course, here is what you knew I was going to say: LIMIT SCREEN TIME. This is hard. No one knows the "right" limit: the standard answer is no more than 2 hours a day, and about 30 minutes a day for toddlers. Research shows two things for sure. 1. The content matters: playing violent games increases aggressiveness. .2. Very frequent screen time leads to mental health issues If your child is constantly on his/her phone or ipad, I recommend temporarily taking it away, to break that addiction. For yourself as well....put your own phone down!
Replace Screen Time With What???? Nearly Anything! READING is the best. Take a family trip to your local library! READ and repeat! There is much more. Your kids should have regular CHORES, you and they should COOK on occasion, you can DANCE OR EXERCISE INDOORS, you can GROW PLANTS from seeds indoors, you can PLAY BOARD GAMES. Try something. Anything other than "screen time"!
If your child is older, especially if you live in a city, you are aware that crime and gun violence go up in hot weather! Know where your teenager is!!! Try to channel them into a PART-TIME JOB, or a VOLUNTEER activity. Most cities have a list of possible volunteer work; As an example, often the local animal shelters welcome teenage volunteers. Habitat for Humanity accepts volunteers in their teens. .Also, more safety here: If you own any guns, LOCK THEM UP. Please do not leave a loaded gun lying about somewhere in your house or car....because it can be your child who dies! As of two years ago, gunshots became the leading cause of death in the elementary and teenage years. And no, your teenager is NOT ready to own or carry a gun. If you wish, do planned and careful training about gun use, but don't just let them loose with a gun!
SO.....I am putting responsibility on YOU, the parent, to be creative and help your kids. It is worth it. You might save their life. They will certainly be in better mental shape if they read even one book, or if they learn to cook something....even mac and cheese can help them once they leave home! There are many more complex options: If they can swim at all, the YMCA has programs to teach them to be a life guard! Even a toddler can help stir something in the kitchen if they have a little chair to stand on.
Don't let the world drag your kid down...raise them up! Even in the heat. You can do this!