Summer Plans

What I’m Reading:Summer is when I do a lot of quick, easy reading. I fill up my reading card with a lot of mysteries and travel themed reading.  I began the summer season with Camino Island by John Grisham.  I grabbed it off the free cart at the library last year and have been saving it for a summer read.  I read it in a few days and it didn’t disappoint.  I’m currently waiting around for its availability through Libby, but I may end up getting the second one as a physical book through the library when I’m ready for another quick read.  I’ve also started The Swiss Summer by Stella Gibbons.  So far it it’s reminiscent of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin.  I thought this would be a good slow, dreamy summer read to imagine a cool location in the midst of the summer heat of the south. 

Reading Challenge

I’m being very un-Charlotte Mason and bribing my kids to read this summer.  The sticker charts are hung in the kitchen with care! My son can earn stickers by reading from a giant pile of unread books or from selections from our living library.  He gets a sticker for every chapter read and narrated to me (sometimes two stickers from the really challenging books).  He also gets a sticker from every chapter I read to him from a chapter book (or that’s read from an audiobook).  My daughter earns stickers from completed phonics lessons or every Bob book she reads to me.  She also gets a sticker every time I read a chapter to her from one of her chapter books.  I’m also letting her earn a sticker for the chapters we listen to at lunch from my son’s audiobook. 

Once a sticker sheet is full, the child who filled the sheet gets to pick from a list of rewards/activities.  I’ve included pizza, milkshakes, bakeries, museums, miniature golf, and bookstores.  Instead of me planning something to get out of the house each week, I thought this would be a more fun way and would help keep me accountable to actually doing something.  The kids are on a roll, and I think they will fill up a chart every other week.

Our challenge will go from Memorial Day until Labor Day.  Many of those weeks will also be school weeks, so that will definitely help in them earning stickers.  We’ll see how the weeks go when we have summer activities.  I’m hoping we will be able to maintain our momentum and excitement.

The kids also have a library reading challenge.  It’s only for two months as the local public school system has a short summer break. Last year we took a complete break from our local public library as we joined our living library and I wanted us to focus on other goals.  This year I want to build excitement about reading for pleasure and for the kids to see that we can read outside of school time.

Academics

I do have some academics available for extra practice.  I’m not giving the kids anything that takes much effort from me.  My son has asked to do a little math so that he doesn’t start the school year completely forgetting how to do math.  I also remember him feeling stressed about cursive when school started back, so I’m going to include a weekly practice in his copywork book.  The kids have also had a lot of fun with Mad Libs, so we’ll be doing that once a week. Piano lessons/practice, jiu-jitsu workouts, and chores will also be on the daily calendar.  Anything academic will be limited to 30 minutes a day (or less) as our focus this summer is about fun and rest.

Kids’ Goals

The summer is a perfect time for the kids to set some of their own learning goals. My son wants to learn how to fry eggs and make a stop motion movie.  My daughter wants to learn how to cook a pot roast and crochet.  They both want to learn ukulele.

Staycation

We do not have an official vacation on the books yet.  We’re hoping to visit The Ark in Kentucky and are planning some future visits to Virginia.  We’ll mostly be at home, but the kids are such a great age to explore what’s available in our own town.  We’ve also been good about going to the pool at least once a week so far.  It’s nice that my son is so enthusiastic about swimming.

Bible Study

The kids will be going to an evening Vacation Bible School at the church where we went to MOPS.  We also have a lot of friends there from co-op.  It’s always sure to be a blast. 

We are hosting a front yard Bible club our church is doing.  We’ve been going for four years to other people’s homes.  I’m hoping people will show up!

My daughter is participating in a weekly Bible class for kids her age.  My son is going to be a helper and couldn’t be more excited.

Mom’s Plans

I will keep up my normal reading and add in lots of quick reads.  We’ve already started on lazy mornings.  I do hope they don’t get away from me and that I still maintain an orderly routine.  I want our summer to be restful but not so much lazy.  I’m excited for the activities we’ll be doing this summer and having a fun summer with the kids.