In the last posting I promised some tips for making this upcoming summer a memorable and relaxing time for your family. Ready? Here we go...
1) Since most of you have children in school, as the school year comes to a close in the next few days, put a "fun summer-time napkin" in their lunch box each day. You can buy a pack at the party supply store or even Walmart. The napkins with watermelons, sunshines, silly bugs, and other 'summerish' things on them are best. Write a note on each napkin counting down the days until summer break.
2) Pick a day for summer to officially begin and welcome it with a "Summer is Here Cookout." We do this on the first Saturday after school is over. It's nothing expensive, just hamburgers on the grill. Make sure to have a special dessert that your kids like.
3) Have a family meeting to let the kids know about the fun you have planned for the summer. I'll detail all of that "fun" in the next few postings. This meeting will also explain the expectations you have of them over the summer. Here are some of my expectations that I talk to my kids about at our family meeting--
--Each day, my kids spend about an hour of "alone time." This is so good for my famly because it gives my kids a break from each other, and it also gives me a break as well. The first half of their alone time, they read a book. They can be in their rooms, on the porch, in the yard... but they have to read for 30 minutes. After the first 30 minutes, they can do something else alone for the rest of the hour. Some of my kids will keep reading, others will play Legos, dolls, or whatever they like for the last 30 minutes. You'll be surprised at how many times they KEEP playing even after the 30 minutes is long over.
-- Also, I do ask my kids to do their flashcards each day. Just one time through a stack of multiplication flashcards or addition/subtraction cards can keep their minds sharp in Math. (Sorry, it's the teacher in me!) My kids take turns quizzing each other. This takes about 15 minutes each day.
--At the meeting, I ask them to choose one show they want to watch each day. Yeah, just one. TV can be a real problem if kids are allowed to watch it anytime they wish. I don't know about your kids, but I've watched my kids turn into Zombies when they watch TV anytime they want to. They get sloshy and unmotivated to do anything. Beat the sloshies, Moms! Schedule those TV shows and stick to that schedule even when they beg!
--Give them 30 minutes of computer time or video game time each summer day- they choose which one each day. Just like the TV, computer and video games will steal away their summer break if you allow it. Remember to give them a 5 minute heads up when their time is running out.
Whoo.... OK, rules are over. Back to the fun...
4) Take your children to the store to buy a new writing journal. Let them decorate it any way they want. This is their "Summer Journal." They can choose to write about anything they want in it at the end of each day. This keeps them writing throughout the summer, (teacher in me again!), and it's also a great keepsake to remember the fun days you have together. 
5) Choose about 5 places that they want to visit this summer. If you're like me, they need to be low or no cost. Once a week, choose one of those places to visit, sort of like taking summer "field trips." This gets everyone out of the house one day a week and it keeps the "fun" level high as they all look forward to these weekly trips. In the past, my kids have chosen places like- the zoo, hiking, berry picking, the lake, local festival, and science center. I usually watch the weather to see what day of the week would be best for our field trip that week.
Oh, I have a TON more ideas for summer fun... more tomorrow!
