summer routine

  
     Summer vacation presents a new challenge for parents, especially for those working parents.  For young families, it means looking for someone to care for your children.  If older children, parents wonder how they are using their time off.  Hopefully, if they are old and responsible enough, they may be baby sitting your own or other children.  If your sons are ambitious, they may be seeking to help an elderly neighbor, such as cutting their lawns of putting their trash barrel on the curb for pick-up.  
      Here are some items for you to consider:
      Try to keep as much of a routine as you can.  Children thrive on knowing how, when and where they must operate.
       Be sure each child knows how they are to contribute to your family: feeding and walking the dog, loading/unloading the dishwasher and/or clothes washer and dryer, taking out the trash, and making sure the recyclables are in the right container for pickup on the right day.  Children need to be responsible for their own rooms—making their beds and putting their clothes in the hamper.  Habits you establish during the summer when you and they have time help your children consider them part of their school-day routine. to Experts suggest these chores not be paid as allowance, but necessary to the functioning as a family. Give allowances for extra work, but not for those necessary to the daily health of your family.
     Make quiet time part of the schedule.  We all need time to read, think, dream in favorite ways, and summer gives us time to do so.  This is what helps us to have a relaxing summer.
     Keep children’s minds working through planned summer activities, day camps for their special interests, online academic classes (Khan Academy, Epic, Brain Chase Summer Learning Challenge Treasure Hunt, Summer 20 (audio books for fun and games), HappiMe for Young People and Three Good Things—A Happiness Journal (to keep your children mentally healthy).
     New experiences and new places to travel for the whole family, even on weekends, help children to be curious, ask questions, and learn fascinating things.
     Summer should be time planned for family activities but not to forget to learn.  Make your summer learning a joy for you and your children.