Emphasis On Moms     

 You are a Mom ~   You are a Wife ~   You are a Lady ~

       Don't run from who you are ~ embrace it!

Are You Ready for Summer? ~ By Linore Burkard

      
Are you ready for summer? The kids are home, the days are long,
boredom strikes, and what happens? Kids turn to electronics more than ever
to keep them entertained. What's a parent to do?

Unless you don't mind the thought of your children spending the summer
merely being entertained,  wandering aimlessly through the minefield
of media offerings, you need to provide alternatives. There are numerous
ways to approach this, and I have a few suggestions:

1. Have a meeting and make sure everyone in the family sets goals
for the summer. Don't just talk about them, but write them down.
Paper doesn't forget, as my husband likes to say.

You can spearhead the effort by sharing some of your
own goals, such as:
     a. To have a daily quiet/Bible time
    b. To learn a new ______ (fill in the blank) art; craft; language; sport; etc.
    c. To relax together as a family by _____________  (fill in the blank)
    d. To go bike riding once a week
    e. To keep in touch with extended family by __________ (visiting, calling, emailing, etc.)
    f. To play a family boardgame at least once a week together.

Those are just a few suggestions. Take into account each child's personality, likes
and dislikes; include character goals, household goals (ie., Rebecca will not have
tantrums that last more than one minute; Matthew will set the table every night for
the month of June; Whatever is appropriate and helpful for your family should be addressed.
And don't forget to set the consequences of failure to obey--and stick to them, or you're
wasting your time and theirs.)

It's also a good idea to make a list in advance of great movies and classics that are
on your wish list and use summer as a time to rent or buy these and schedule when you
will watch them. If you already have a good movie on the agenda for Friday night, it's much less likely
that your kids will search channels in boredom and settle on a horror flick because
there's nothing better to do. There's an old saying, "Idle hands do devil's work," and
there are times when it can apply--don't let it!

Bear in mind, however, that I am NOT suggesting you keep your kids ultra busy and ultra
scheduled; Far be it from me! I believe strongly in giving kids time to be kids. A little boredom
is a part of life, and they need to discover ways to stay occupied for themselves. The great outdoors
is there and summer is the time for them to take advantage of it. Your own backyard  is a good place 
to send a bored child. Shady spots are excellent for solitary reading, thinking, (yes, thinking! Don't
underestimate their need to do this) and writing.

I read once that, no matter how long a person lives, even if they live to be a hundred,
the longest part of their life is the first twenty years.  This is in danger of changing if
we let our kids fritter away their youth at a computer screen or in front of a TV. Unless there is a
learning goal, too much of that, my friends, is STOLEN time. Don't let their youth be stolen;
It is supposed to feel long; it is supposed to have periods of  'downtime,' when a
child can ponder life, and just be a kid. Don't try to "protect" your family from all downtime. 
They need it!
   
Back to goal-setting: Be certain to include a few things NOT to do, in the mix.
 For example, you might set a goal  for your children "NOT to spend more than one hour a day playing computer games,"
or, "NOT to watch any daytime television." Also, include some learning goals for the family.
Summer is a perfect time to expand their world in ways you can't always squeeze in during the school year.
    a. educational/ interesting vacations
    b. visit museums/zoos and working farms
    c. tour a factory or newspaper plant
    d. Read ___ # of books (the number should vary according to the age and abilities of each family member. Be sure
to oversee the reading list of older kids, or even better, write some of it yourself!)
 
Not to belabor the point, but DON'T allow anyone to take a summer vacation from learning and growing. This is the time, perhaps more
than any other time of the year, to ensure that your children aren't just vegetating in front of a computer screen
playing games.

A few last suggestions:
    1.  Go through old books, video games, and DVD's and discard anything that isn't conducive to broadening the mind.
 For example: SIM games stay in our house, because they are mind-broadening. (Be careful of the newer titles, however, as
even some of the SIMs are now less-than-wholesome.) We especially like the kind that teach city building. Even teens have fun
while thinking about how to finance the municipal needs of a town or city, and it broadens their minds.
 However, if my boys have picked up any "mindless violence" games, I like to quietly "lose" them. (No need to be
strident about it.)

     2. Don't assume full responsibility for keeping the kids happy. And don't equate being "happy" with  keeping them
constantly satisfied. Always remind children to remember all the good things they have; point them to their own
goals chart when they really flounder and have "nothing" to do; and keep a few goals of your own always before
you. It's amazing how movement towards goals can bring a sense of great fulfillment. At the end of the summer,
no one will say, "What did we do all summer? Where did the time go?" Instead,  you'll be gloating over the new
skill you picked up, the great family times you had, and the way you didn't let that old media beast consume your home!

Happy summer! May it be safe, fun, and mind-broadening!

©2008 Linore Rose Burkard