Have a healthier Summer:  Mind, body and soul

Summer is a fun time for everyone.  School’s out, adults take vacation, time seems more plentiful and families get to enjoy one another more.

While having fun and enjoying summer is important, it’s also critical to make sure that our children do not forego a disciplined lifestyle for fun.  You can do both.  Doing the year, children manage to have fun, do homework, enjoy activities and the like, the summer should be no different.  In fact, it helps the children when school begins again if they have been working all year, staying up on the basics and even pushing his or herself on the subjects that they find hardest.  Let’s not forget it is the habits of home that we send to the school.

Last year, I felt obligated to reward my son and allow him to have too much free time.  I paid the price all year trying to get him into a rhythm of studying and balancing his time.  He was also in the midst of a growth spurt which made it worse.  He slept quite a bit and not going the bed on time wasn’t helping.   Three months of bad habits spilled into the school year and I felt like I was in school.

Here are few tips, I’ve put in place.  They help provide peace, quiet and time.  You know the time you lose when they are at home with you ALL DAY.  LOL

• REVIEW THE BASICS – You’re not a teacher but you can make sure your child doesn’t lose all he or she has learned over the summer. Review basic math skills.  There are sights that allow you to download worksheets or better yet allow them to work online.  If you have a college student or old books, use those to assign work.
  • Allow them to make their own flash cards for math & words
• CHORES – You know all those places you would have the maid do if she came around? Well allow your children to handle that for you.
  • Cleaning the window seals
  • Making sure plants are watered
  • Changing linens
  • Cleaning the linen closet
  • Reorganizing the pantry
  • Cleaning the shelves in the pantry
• READING – destroy the pattern of electronics by instilling an hour or two hours of reading each night. Your local library can provide the books as well as Amazon.  Find the thrillers that will excite your son or daughter as well as some of the classics.
• EXERCISE – Last but not least, exercise. We kicked it off in our family during our Memorial Day picnic with an old fashion game of kickball and since then, I’ve made sure exercise happens daily at home.  It’s crucial for a healthy mind, body and soul.  Our children are spoiled via electronics and it’s up to us to make sure that they receive a balance.  Additionally, this generation of young people are grossly out of shape.  It’s abuse to allow them to continue in this fashion and not help.

Providing structured activities, chores and educational activities also allows you the time you need.  When children are bored they bother you and despite the summer break as parents it’s crucial to still get your “me” time.

 

Enjoy the summer but make sure you provide a balance for you and your family!