So, school get’s out next week, but for the most part, summer is already starting. We’ve got parties, barbeques, vacation last week–we’re pretty much already into summer. Let’s face it, the kids aren’t going to be doing any work at school in the next 3 1/2 days of school, are they?
I’d like to be organized this summer. Like, have set days to go to the library, jobs done in the mornings, play dates on certain days, field trips on other days, etc.. But who does that? Melinda? So, I’d like some advice, tips, hints on how to get your kids to do jobs, help keep the house clean, and have fun. Because if they don’t help out, we will never go and do anything fun because I will only worry about the state of the house. And if it’s too cluttered and dirty, Mommy starts to go crazy.
So, Please–give me your best hints of things that have worked for you in the summer to keep kid occupied, happy and not whining (it would be nice if Mommy were happy, occupied and not whining, too, but that may be too much to hope for.)
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Today we have a big barbeque for about 70 people planned (Bell Choir and families), and we’re just trying to figure out what to do. Do we cancel and try to reschedule ? Do we carry on and pretend that it will be warm? Ugh. Darn weather.
Well, I have a suggestion. Plan a yard carnival where the kids can earn money to go other places. We’ve talked about this before, but maybe this would be a good year to do it. Just brainstorm and come up with different ideas, send out flyers, sell tickets, and have enough people to man the booths (stations). Some of the stations we had were golf putting, bean bag toss, ring toss, darts and balloons, etc. I can’t think of them all, but I bet Chrissy and Amy can remember some others. But the kids should think up things themselves.
Maybe you could have a rule that every other day they clean up their room and do several jobs on your list of things to do before they can play. So that gives them every other day when they don’t have to worry about it.
And you could set aside a reading time for everyone – read wherever they want, just so they read. That can be you, too. And group reading might be fun, or else a time when you read them a story.
Seems like if they have a structure to their summer and know what to expect, they won’t just sit around and say they’re bored so much. But that would take lots and lots of planning time. Good luck!