Summer can be a tricky time to get visiting teaching done. Well really it can be difficult at any time, but summer throws extra obstacles into the works. You have more children at home, and people tend to go on vacation in the summer. So it can seem difficult to get it done. Here are three tips to help you do your visiting teaching in the summer.
1) Call at the beginning of the month to set up your appointments. This way you have a longer period of time to work it out with everyone’s schedules. For example this month my companion and I swapped times that we were out of town. It can be very frustrating when you are trying to get it done at the last minute.
2) School is out and so all your kids are home for the summer. If you have a day route, this really can change your visiting teaching experience. It is one thing to take two or three children along with you, another to take four or five. There are sisters who are extremely welcoming to young children in their home (I visit teach one, thank goodness), but others find it distracting. My visiting teaching coordinator set up a babysitting swap, so that the sisters can get the visiting teaching done in the ward. This is a wonderful way to help each other out as sisters.
3) Be flexible with your time and schedule. The sisters you visit teach normally in the mornings may have children with swimming lessons in the mornings. If possible be as flexible as you can or consider having your husband baby-sit for an evening visit. Similarly when you are being visit taught, be open to changes in the summer so that those teaching you can still visit you during this busy time of year.
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