Let Summer Begin

Has your Summer started? My kids have been out of school since the middle of May, so our Summer has been going for a while, but our weather has been cold and rainy and even a little snowy. This week it will start to feel like summer.

Like most parents, education is important to us. Although my kids are only nine and twelve, they have very lofty goals for themselves. My nine year old would like to go to, and play football for his favorite college, then go on to play for the NFL. Impossible, no, but definitely not an easy path. Then again he's nine and he can and probably will change his mind. Until then I will do what I can to get him there. My twelve year old wants to join the Coast Guard and possibly go to the Coast Guard Academy. High goals again since the Academy only takes 300-400 every year.

To help reach their goals, they have tasks they need to complete before they can play video games or play with friends. My husband and I both work full time jobs and this summer they are old enough to stay home by themselves. They have to text me when they get up and everyday they get a list of things to do. Task one, chores. They get chores, according to age, like sweeping floors, vacuum, dishes, wiping down bathrooms, cleaning their rooms, making beds, or picking up their belongings from other areas of the house. Task two, homework. I looked online until I found a workbook for each of them that I felt would prep them for the next year. They have to complete the days assignment, which includes an exercise. Education is important and if keeping things fresh in their minds or learning something that may set them up for success for the next year I'm all for it. Task three, a summer project. Now this may sound like homework, but this summers project is for each of them to plan a trip to a state within the lower 48. They have to look up where they want to go, plan how to get there, how much it would cost, where they would stay, and what they would do when they went there.

They learn time management, responsibility, stay in tune with math, language arts, reading, science, history and geography. Keeping young minds active is just as important as keep the body fit. Summer may just be getting started, but we are preparing to make successful habits.

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