I don’t know about you, but when May rolls around I’m ready for all the great things warm weather brings. As the calendar changes ice cream stands open up, zoos and amusement areas prepare for summer, and fun holidays start coming in fast succession. In fact if there’s one time I really treasure as an uncle, it’s late spring and early summer because it means more time with loved ones.

As the family comes together for holidays in the warmer months, so too do uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces. Gathering with family is a great way to start making plans for summer and for spending quality time together.

Take some time during family gatherings to ask questions about what’s going on in nieces and nephews lives. Find out what they’re excited about, where summer travel might take them and what they’ve learned this school year. Also see if there are some goals they have for the summer and what new hobbies they might have started since you last talked to them.

Next up this spring and summer are graduations. Even if your favorite nieces and nephews aren’t making significant changes in grade or school, the end of school is near and it’s a great time to make plans for summertime adventures. Find out when they’re free to visit with you and start to keep a calendar of events that you’re both excited about.

A great thing about planning adventures together is that both you and your nieces and nephews will keep communication lines open. One cool thing to do - even in an age where digital connectivity is everywhere - is to go to a local stationery store and buy a calendar. Then, with the printed calendar, you and your nieces and nephews can map out when you’ll plan time together. Leave the calendar at their house, but be sure to mark all important dates on your calendar as well.

Finally, to ensure you’re not stepping on any toes, talk with your siblings about planned events. You don’t want to have adventures on your calendar that interfere with obligations or travel the family has already arranged. I know in our family that some of my nephews head to a resort for part of the summer. When I want to see them, I either have to travel an hour to see them or wait for them to get back.

Right now I can’t wait for soft-serve ice cream, mini golf, some beach time and maybe even nature walks looking for owls…all planned with my favorite nieces and nephews. What are you going to put on your calendar this year?

Jeff Cutler - http://jeffcutler.com - is a freelance journalist, social media trainer and content specialist. He regularly reports from events all over the world and even recently reported from 30,000 feet on a JetBlue flight with Wifi - http://bit.ly/flyfi1 -his office in the air.

Photo: AForestFrolic via Flickr cc
Published: May 13, 2014