Aah . . . summer. After nine long months of school, we are finally free - no looming projects, no tests, no grades, and certainly less stress. (I know; I know . . . they were never our projects, tests, grades, or stress, but didn’t they often feel that way?) Despite higher temperatures, summer has a light and breezy, more relaxed feel that we all embrace, if only temporarily.
The summertime, though, in my opinion, is when we, as parents, must step up and guide our children. On the journey to becoming independent thinkers, our children should not squander the summer months. I am not suggesting that the real school work continue without interruption, but the learning absolutely should continue.
I am dedicating this month’s blog to our parents with a guide for what, in my opinion, you should encourage and discourage in the few months ahead. While these are not hard and fast rules – everyone should be allowed to indulge a little bit – I do recommend that they be followed over 80% of the time.
DO
· Encourage your children to explore an interest. One of my biggest pet peeves is that our bright children often cannot articulate a singular personal interest. They may say, “I love soccer,” but they usually do not dedicate their independent, personally-directed time to reading about soccer, practicing soccer skills, or watching the World Cup. If your child responds with a perplexed expression to the simple inquiry “What do you like to do in your spare time?” or replies with “I like to hang out with friends, play video games, or watch Netflix,” here are a few ideas to dangle before them: follow politics and develop personal stances on hotly-debated issues; study and prepare for the total solar eclipse that will occur in August; purchase a DIY project or craft book and attack those of the most interest; or learn to play a new instrument with the help of YouTube.
· Encourage your children to read, read, read. Do not worry too much about what they are reading, as long as they are reading.
DON’T
· Allow them to sleep in every morning or keep unhealthy, irregular sleeping patterns.
· Allow them to binge on Netflix to the extreme.
· Allow them to isolate themselves. Encourage them instead to get out and to form relationships with friends, grandparents, and mentors.
· Allow them to be a sluggard. The sun will often be shining, so encourage daily exercise, outside whenever possible.
· Ignore healthy eating habits. Instead, explore food interests and cooking together.
· Avoid a schedule, even if it is relatively loose and flexible.
· Allow them to say, “I am bored.” Be at the ready for remedies to this complaint, including chores.
In short, teach your children that the exciting part of summer is not that they are free from all responsibility but that they are free to explore themselves and the world around them. Embrace this opportunity.