Good summer vacations for Latinos start with planning.  Hispanic parents who develop a summer vacation plan for the family will find it easier to manage resources, minimize their children’s academic decay and more effectively guide their behavior once the weekday structure of school ends.  
The first step to a beneficial vacation for Latino students is creating a comprehensive family activity calendar.  With the family gathered together, block out all commitments (including summer school, work schedules, sports practices and games, performances and camps), activities, (like major home projects and visits by summer guests) and travel.  Blended families must coordinate the calendars of two households to assure that time-sharing is fair and free of confusion or parental conflict, misunderstandings and last-minute changes.  Display the summer calendar prominently so that people can check it frequently.  While some Latinos procrastinate or resist planning, a comprehensive family calendar will minimize the anger, disappointment and hurt feelings that result when things don’t go as people wish.  Planning honors each family member’s needs and assures sufficient time to prepare for things that people want or are required to do.  Finally, it assures that the family will have time to spend together. (Some Latinos may contend they want to plan to spend time away from each other, but children of all ages need quality time with their parents.  Just ask kids who don’t receive it).
Part of planning is setting goals and structuring time.  It is a practical way for Hispanic parents to teach their children how to balance fun with work (which may be a summer job or summer school and other learning activities), exercise, play and spirituality.  And the parents should set goals for themselves, too, and include them in the family’s summertime plan.  Families unaccustomed to planning together may resist the idea, but planning together increases family cohesion and improves communication.  For Latino parents, the emotional distance between them and their children that typically increases as children grow can become problematic, so family-wide goal setting helps bridge that gap. 
Latino working parents with school-age children are challenged year-round to find appropriate childcare.  Sometimes recreational programs sponsored by a city parks and recreation department can fill the need for structured activity and childcare. Quality still matters, so if childcare means sitting in front of Grandma’s television or spending all day playing videogames, think again. Too much screen time often results in increased defiance and attention problems. Sometimes free recreation programs are more like 50 youngsters and a teen in a gym with a basketball.  Structure and supervision are still important for Hispanic youngsters, even when school is not in session.  Parents can inquire at local schools or universities or check local listings for opportunities their children will learn from and enjoy.  Programs often fill up fast, so the early searching and planning improves the chances of Latino students getting into the program of their choice.  New things to do at home and in the community helps the entire family enjoy the time meaningfully. 
Latino children get a strong message when their parents take time off work to spend time with them – something which is less likely to happen during the school year.  Not all parents earn paid vacations, but designating a set time for parents and children to be together conveys the message of their importance and value.  
Plan family travel, too.  While many Latino families visit relatives on their time off, planning things to do during that time is wise.  Hispanic children (especially teens) often lament that summertime travel isn’t really a vacation because all they do is go see family.  Parents and children can plan new things to do or places to explore during those summer visits.  Each person then has a better sense of the vacation being theirs – not simply the same old routine that happens every summer.  Same thing goes for a destination vacation.  If each family member selects a chosen activity or adventure, each will look forward to the trip.  When the family is doing a family member’s chosen activity, invoke a rule that others cannot complain about or criticize the choice.  Not everyone enjoys the same thing, but participating respectfully makes it everyone’s vacation.  •