How to Survive a Sizzling Summer in Phoenix

1

If you are new to sunny Phoenix—welcome! If you are a new mom—congratulations! Chances are that if you are reading this, you are starting your preparations for surviving the sweltering Arizona summer heat with kiddos. Hopefully you have been able to enjoy the beautiful winter and spring seasons (also known as, a friendly reminder as to why we call this great place home). However, if you are one of the brave souls moving here in the middle of summer, I salute you (and also empathize with you, because my husband and I did the same back in 2012).

Let’s start out with the common things you are going to hear about a scorching summer in Arizona. People often utter these phrases to make you feel better and use it as a mantra to remind themselves:

  • It’s a dry heat, don’t worry.
  • You get used to it.
  • It’s not that bad.
  • Better than dealing with snow during the winter.

Are these fairly accurate? Yes. Are all of these completely true? Not a chance.

summer in Phoenix

Let’s shine a light, or the hot sizzling sun, on a few items that can make the heat bearable for yourself and your kids, until well, Thanksgiving rolls back around.

  1. Reusable water bottles. Stock up now on water bottles for everyone in your family, pets included! Water bottle (or four, because you’re a mom) in your purse. Water bottles in backpacks. Empty water bottles in the car in case someone forgets theirs (because someone usually forgets theirs). During the summer think of yourself as the Oprah of water bottles, “water bottle for you, water bottle for you, water bottle for you, water bottle for you too.” Fact: If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of fluids and push your kids to do the same.
  2. Car Towel. Have leather seats? Plan on parking your car outside during the hours of 6am to midnight? Then, car towel. The sneaky summer sun has a way of turning those comfy car seats into a raging stove top burner. Having a towel within reach to throw on top of your seat, cuts down on the thigh burns. It is also handy to cover up buckles or car seats. This little friend also comes in handy if you are transporting a soaking wet kid who has just been cooling off in the neighborhood pool.
  3. Hats and sunglasses. Luckily large brim hats are fantastic accessories, so this isn’t all that bad. Keeping the sun off your face will ensure that you don’t turn the color of a cooked lobster on your morning walk/run/trip to Starbucks.
  4. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Back to item number three on the list, you don’t want to turn into a cooked lobster, and you REALLY don’t want to deal with a sunburn on your child. Sunscreen is your friend—lather it on. If you find yourself outside frequently, you will need to apply sunscreen more than once a day. Here is a post on help finding toxin-free sunscreen. On your next Target run, load up that cart. Oh, and don’t worry, other moms will be doing the same, so you won’t get any strange looks, we will all be stalking the aisle together and giving imaginary fist-bumps to one another.
  5. A body of water. If you don’t have a house with a pool, buy a different house. Just kidding, kind of! Our home doesn’t have a pool, and during the winter we love not having to deal with the upkeep, but come each summer, we find ourselves seriously questioning our life choice of buying a house without a pool in Phoenix, and whether or not we could get one completely installed in one weekend (you can’t). So, if you are like us, and don’t have a pool, you can buy the next best thing, inflatable pools. We have an inflatable pirate ship complete with a slide that our kids love. There are some really fun inflatable pool options out there that won’t break the bank. Partner an inflatable pool with other fun water toys, sprinkle in some popsicles, and you have hours of entertainment. If you have family or friends with a pool, offer to bring snacks, drinks, towels, (your suitcases full of clothes), and well maybe just move on in each weekend. Throwing that out there for when temperatures hoover around 110 degrees! Oh and renting a giant inflatable water slide isn’t that expensive and so worth it.

While the temperatures climb higher and higher this week, let’s take a quick moment to fondly remember how nice these past few months have been, find any reason to head outside and enjoy these cooler temperatures and then turn to preparing for what lies ahead—a good ol’ Phoenix summer.

Previous article10 Important Life Lessons I Learned from My Mom
Next articleThings to Do in Phoenix this Month
Lauren
Lauren is the proud mom of two spunky little boys, wife and business owner. She holds a Masters of Business Administration degree, is a marketing communications professional and owner of Auriga Marketing. While she was born in Phoenix, she grew up in Temecula, California and moved back to attend Xavier College Preparatory. After high school she ventured to Denver for college (and skiing) and then on to Honolulu a couple years after graduating. She and her husband returned to Arizona in 2012 and made Central Phoenix their home. They love to travel and experience different cultures, having a deep appreciation for a warm beach and sand between their toes. When she isn’t chasing after two boys or playing with their overly energetic dogs, she can be found working on a home DIY project, trying out a new recipe or planning their next family adventure. Oh, and she is also a firm believer that chocolate should be its own food group!

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here