Summer break starts in just a few weeks. I am in shock. My kids have attended summer camp the last few years and I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with them all day when they are home for Summer vacation. I used to look forward to Summer and the extra time with my kids, but now that I have work responsibilities, I’m not sure how I’m going to handle entertaining children during what is supposed to be my work day. I figure that I need to start planning now so that by the time school ends in mid June I’ll be ready for (and maybe even looking forward to) the Summer break.
This month, in the Fishful Thinking newsletter, Dr. Karen Reivich challenged parents to make a list of things they want to do this Summer. I love what Dr. Reivich said:
With the school year coming to an end, my family is starting to think about summer and how to make the most of this precious time. We tend to have a lot of free time in the summer (mostly because I procrastinate signing my kids up for camps and classes), and it can be all too easy to let the summer drift away without using the time wisely.
So this summer, we’re trying something new: creating a list of 101 Things to Do Before the End of Summer. Like the movie The Bucket List and the book A Thousand Places to See Before You Die, lists like these can be a fun way to motivate you and your family to do things that might otherwise never make your “to-do” list. The beauty of these lists is that they give your family a chance to share dreams, express what they enjoy most, and encourage them to do things you all will remember for years to come.
Often when we think about goal setting, we think about “I Should” goals: I should exercise more, I should eat less candy, I should study more, etc. These goals are necessary and valuable, but the 101 Things to Do Before the End of Summer list isn’t about “I Should,” it’s about “We Want:” We want to go crabbing, we want to stargaze in our backyard, we want to eat hamburgers from 15 different places, etc.
Here is the beginning of my 101 Things to do this Summer list:
- Swim in our neighborhood pool at least once a week
- Watch all of the Young Indiana Jones series together
- Keep up with our garden – together
- Drive cross country for a reunion together
- Read a novel together
- Hike our favorite trail regularly
- Make progress in our house (maybe keep it clean for once?)
- Spend time with my sister and her kids in PA
- Tour a few things in DC that we haven’t made it to before
- BBQ regularly
- Find ways that we can help our neighbors
- Help Twizzler make progress in his Webelos Scout program
- Work on family scrapbooks
- Get everyone involved in collecting and sharing family history stories
- Dance to music in the family room with the curtains open
- Try new recipes
- Sleep in at least once a week
- Attend a bunch of local outdoor concerts
- Participate in the Summer reading program at the library
- Get my kids to write on my blog regularly
What would you add to your list of things you want to do before the end of Summer?
I am a Fishful Thinking Faculty mom and receive compensation for my time, but the thoughts and words in this post are mine. Join Fishful Thinking on Facebook for more discussion!
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Hey, I can help with a few of those!
Great list! We’ve been trying to get the teen to write more, she keeps “forgetting”.
I love the idea of doing this. Thanks so much for sharing it, Laura! I am feeling the same way you are about summer, but I’m determined to make it great. This list is just the thing we need to brainstorm some ideas for staying busy and active together.
Isn’t sleeping in wonderful? I love waking up on my own versus to an alarm. :)
Love number 17. lol. I must do this one.