Summer is so much fun! I love making s’mores just because it’s still light out and we can. What a treat to go to a Rockies or Rapids game without having to think about getting to bed early enough for school the next day. Stay in jammies days, those are the best. But sometimes I wonder what happens to these boys’ brains over the summer? Research has shown that kids really do lose knowledge when they aren’t exercising their brains. Hmmm, but fighting the battle of making them do school work? What’s a mom to do? Our solution was to have the kids read for one hour a day. They can break it up however they want, but it needs to be done before dinner. Then after dinner they can play outside all they want. It was a struggle at first, but there were some key points to making it work. One is to help them choose books that are age appropriate. My youngest son has a tendency to pick big chapter books that are too difficult for him, because he wants to be like his brothers. The problem is he loses interest because he can’t actually read them. The first step was to get a book he would enjoy, so we looked together. The second point is to stick with it! The first couple days they whined about it, but then it became just a part of the day. They look forward to the quiet time now and feel great when they have finished a book. Another tip is to read at the same time they are reading. I pick up my book and read too, showing them it’s engaging and enjoyable.
Summer is a great time for fun, but find some small ways to keep your kids’ brains fresh! They’ll be ready to go when school starts and have a boosted confidence because the work they did throughout the summer.
