by Lori Lite, Founder/author of Stress Free Kids
Did you ever wish your children had more patience? Do you remember the days when you yourself had more patience? Summer fun can be a valuable lesson for teaching children patience. 
When your and your children are comfortable with being patient, you will feel more at ease and tend to be less stressed.
Here are 5 easy and fun activities you can try this summer to heighten mindfulness and increase patience.
Nature: Who can resist insect watching? Have ladybugs (Ladybug Land) delivered to your mailbox and “watch the small larvae eat and drink from special gels, form cocoons, and emerge as adult ladybugs.”
Painting: Painting can teach kids the value of patience. Just waiting for the paint stroke to dry before adding another takes patience that many adults and children do not have. When children do not have patience painting they can see actually see the outcome of their impatience. Adding too many colors while they are wet will result in changing the color to mud. When they are patient enough to allow the paint to dry, they will see vibrant colors. What a fun activity to have the two paintings side by side.
Puzzles: Puzzles are a wonderful patience-teaching tool. Often children will exhibit more patience and less frustration doing a puzzle than their parents. Resist the urge to help your child find the place for that piece, especially when they are fine with spending a lot of time on it. Take some deep breaths and commend your child and yourself for being patient.
Planting: Gardening or planting of any sort promotes patience. It takes time and patience to watch a tomato seed develop into a tomato you can eat. You also get the added bonus of connecting with nature and a self-esteem boost when you harvest a food your child patiently nurtured.
Baking: Bake a cake and check on it as it rises. Good old fashioned patience needed. Yummy reward for patience.
Practicing patience takes time….and patience. Be honest and let your children know when you are having trouble being patient. Add breathing, positive statements, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualizations to your daily lives. Let your children see you practice increasing your patience. Be patient with yourself and your children.
For more ideas on How to Have Patience Every Day, read this post in Real Simple Magazine
To introduce your family to breathing, positive statements, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualizations visit www. StressFreeKids.com for books, CDs, and downloads for your whole family.