Kids need structure June 7, 2008

One thing that will make or break your summer or your sanity for that matter, is providing your kids with some type of structure for the day. Kids thrive on predictability. There is a sense of safety and security knowing what to expect.

 

This is not only true for the days activities but also for consequences for behavior. If a child is only disciplined periodically for misbehavior, well then guess what? They are more likely to roll the dice and try to see if they can get away with what ever the offending behavior of the day is…

 

I speak from experience on this topic. If there is any type of loop hole then my kids will find it. They can sense when my hubby and I are at our weakest moments, when we are frazzled, and when we are likely to cave and give in. Sometimes I feel like I live with mini-terrorists. They take over my house and have a list of demands! Well, I refuse to give into terrorism!!!

 

In an effort to ward off the ambushes and plots to foil my sanity, I am going to intiate a heightened alert. I am going to establish a routine with outings, activities, and books. Of course there will be plenty of time for my kids to have “free play” where they can explore and play on their own. But hopefully, by planning out part of their day I can limit some of my husband’s and my casualties.

 

To assist my efforts in staying organized and my kids on task, I googled “free calanders”. I couldn’t believe all of the choices out there. I saved a jpeg (or picture file) and edited it with Photo Shop Elements 5, a photo editing program. I have printed calanders for both the month and the seperate weeks. Here is what I have so far for June.

This is the plan anyway… June 7, 2008

As summer quickly approaches, I realize that I need a plan. I have 3 little ones. That means 3 sets of eyes, ears, hands, and feet that need to be kept busy and out of trouble. From my 5 year old daughter to my 21 month old son, they sure do keep me busy! Now I would like to keep them busy!!!

I want to use this gift that we have of spending the summer together. The summer shouldn’t be a time to turn off your mind and veg out, it should be a time to explore, create, and grow closer as a family!

My mother always worked a lot of hours. She would spend time with us when she wasn’t working and took us on vacations, but most of our time was spent with my brother and I entertaining ourselves, sure we had the resources to explore, create, and bond together…and we did for the most part. But where could it have gone had it been organized?

My parents did a great job in instilling a passion for learning, the environment, setting goals, and helping others. I hope to recreate some of the experiences I had as a child and enrich those activities and outings with my own twist of making it “our family time.”

So here is the grand plan…(specific details have not been completely ironed out)… Through out the whole summer I am planning on conducting a   preschool with my kids, ages 5, 3, and soon to be 2.  We will focus on art, language, science, and math through the use of hands on experiencal activities. That’s the plan anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a supportor in public education. I guess I would have to be since I am an elementary school counselor! But I digress…more about that to come as I go through my own adventures in parenting!