Tag: summer survival series

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Summer Survival Series DAY FOUR – Sign Up for Activities

Whoops.  It’s June.  Those little crazy people came home and we’ve been going non-stop ever since!  I’m sure you can relate.  Hopefully you’re still surviving! Let’s get back on track!!! This is Brooke, guest blogging for Susie Peas with my Summer Survival Series. Here is my Day 4 Summer Survival Tip – Sign Up for Activities.

Get A Planner and Start Filling it Up

Open up your planner.  You have one of these, right???  I’m old school, so mine’s on paper.  And I use a pencil because LIFE. 

Plan your summer survival
Plan your summer survival

If you don’t have a planner, and even if you do, just find a cute and free printable version online.  I like to print two copies.  One serves as a rough draft.  I write down EVERYTHING.  Lots of stuff overlaps.  I choose which activities we are going to do, copy them onto a final draft, and then THROW ALL OF THE PAMPLETS AND BROCHURES AND FLYERS AWAY!!!  Now that you’re ready, here we go.

Sign Up for Sports

i9 Sports
i9 Sports for activities in your area

 First, the sports.  Once you sign up for a team sport, it needs to become priority.  Chances are it wasn’t cheap.  And team sports are an awesome way to teach our kids responsibility and loyalty.  Your team is depending on you to show up.  Check out i9 Sports for activities in your area.

Sign Up for Camps

Vacation Bible School for a fun sumer activity
YMCA Camps for Summer Fun

VBS and Summer Camps at Parks or Recreation Centers

Next, choose some summer camps!  Vacation Bible School is important to us, so I check out those dates first.  Your local parks and rec department has CHEAP summer camps, I’m sure!  I used to be a day camp director in my hometown, and it was SO.MUCH.FUN.  Sign up IMMEDIATLY.  These are booked incredibly fast.  

Library Fun

Now check out your local library.  Sign up for summer reading and check out their summer calendar for fun events!  Our STL libraries have magic shows and story tellers and musical performers scattered throughout all of their locations all summer long.  

Camps of Their Favorite Hobbies & Activities

Summer Fun - Zoo Camps
Summer Fun - Zoo Camps
Summer Fun - Zoo Camps

You can also find amazing art camps, zoological camps, gardening camps, cooking camps, science camps, etc.  with a quick google search.  Chances are the places you’re already visiting, like the zoo or even the GROCERY STORE, have summer camps available!  

What about your state’s conservation center???  Did you think to check there?  Last summer ours offered a BAT TAGGING NIGHT.  WHAT?! So much fun!

Bowling Alleys nationwide are offering free bowling throughout the summer for kids.  And many movie theaters show reruns of old favorites for around a dollar!

You can Sign Up for Summer Activities Everywhere


Bottom line, there are SO MANY INCREDIBLE SUMMER EVENTS going on each day around you, and if you’re not looking, you’ll miss ’em! These summer activities are a great way to make some amazing memories for you and your kiddos this summer.

Be sure to check out Susie Pea’s ideas for Grandma Camps too! Fun and easy step by step ideas on how to host a successful day full of fun, food, and family! And also find great ideas on Geocaching with Kids. Another fun activity to add to your summer calendar.

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Summer Survival Series DAY TWO – Chores, Behavior, & Rewards

Hey there!  Welcome back to my Summer Survival Series! Are you ready to get your next set of Summer Survival Tips? 

Now that you took time for yourself, and Step Number 1 is hopefully in the making. It’s time for our next step for Summer Survival!


NUMBER 2. CREATE A SYSTEM FOR CHORES, BEHAVIOR, & REWARDS.  

Summer Survival Tips – Chores

I’m a BIG supporter of chores for kiddos. Listen, they are CAPABLE. I am a BIGGER non-supporter of the FIGHTING that comes along with making them do chores. So let’s make it FUN this summer, shall we? 

To help combat this chore war, I downloaded a relatively new app called “S’Mores Up.” You create an account and you add each child to that account.  Next, you  create chores (or choose from the chores they have already preprogrammed).  Then, you come up with some rewards for doing said chores.  Finally, YOU GET THEM TO WILLINGLY HELP AROUND THE HOUSE! WHAAATTTT!?!? 

Summer Survival Series - S'mores Chore chart
Summer Survival Series – S’mores Chore chart

Summer Survival Tips – Rewards

 When Little Curtis takes out the trash, he gets a point, which the app has cutely nicknamed a “s’more.”  When he saves up enough “s’mores,” he can cash them in for awesome prizes!  Like staying up late, extra screen time, a batch of his favorite cookies, or a toy from the dollar store!  

Summer Survival Series - S'mores Reward Chart
Summer Survival Series – S’mores Reward Chart

The littler kids, like my Griffin, really don’t care about the points, but they love to be doing the same things as the big kids!  AND *DUH* while they’re cleaning, you can be cleaning!  This was a huge “AHA” moment for me several years back.  I didn’t have these expectations for my kids and I felt this huge mom guilt while trying to clean as they entertained themselves (which usually involved following behind me and undoing all of my hard work…).  

In addition to the chores app, I’ve also created this “Chore Board” so my bigger kids can earn some money and do some jobs that I just really don’t want to do! Check it out. 

Summer Survival Series - Chore Board to help promote good summer help and habits with children
Summer Survival Series – Chore Board

SNEAKY, right?  I remember thinking that my parents had kids just so we could clean for them.  Obviously, I now realize how much I DIDN’T do as a child.  But I also realize that this is indeed a BONUS to having children!!! BAHAHA!  

Summer Survival Tips – Behaviors


BUT HOLD UP.  Let’s get real.  None of this is going to happen if we allow misbehavior.  My parenting style mostly falls under the Authoritative category.  Check out this information from Strictly Stress Management to learn more. I believe our kiddos need to see us giving them consistency, strength, expectations, practical life skills, and deep, unconditional love.  I believe in natural consequences, but also consequences that are consistent. When my child does behavior A, they should already know what punishment B has always been.  At a very young age, they’ll start developing the LIFE SKILLS needed to be able to weigh their behaviors with the risk of the consequences.  

I already have a good handle on this in my home.  I taught kindergarteners for 5 years.  So this summer I’m really focusing on Quality Character.  We are going to use a ticket system for this behavior plan.  The kids will earn a ticket when they display excellent character.  Tickets can be lost when poor character becomes a problem.  They’ll go “shopping” in the treasure box once a week!  

Good Character Poster to promote good behavior and reward system

If you are interested in a printable of the Character Counts PDF Click Below

https://susiepeas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Character-Counts-1.pdf

Summer Survival Series - Treasure Box & Tickets. Ways to promote good behavior and rewards.
Summer Survival Series – Treasure Box & Tickets

Now, I didn’t say today’s topic was going to be an easy task.  One thing I know for certain is that these transition times (like the upcoming transition from school year to summertime) are IDEAL for making changes.  So let’s practice our MOM VOICES and perfect THAT LOOK that means business.  We can do this, Momma!  #bosslady #queenbee  ~Boo


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Summer Survival Series DAY ONE – Set Routines

OH HAY!  Glad to see you’re back!  That means you’ve read yesterday’s post and you’re already pampering yourself and ready to conquer this thing called summertime, yes?  Summer Survival 101 – OKAY!  LET’S DO THIS.

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NUMBER 1. SET ROUTINES 

Set them.  Weekly, Daily, HOURLY schedules that the kiddos can see and actually decipher!  It will keep you sane when they will.not.stop.asking.what’s.next.  I started with this one from Fab n’ Free and added to it along the way. 

Summer Survival Series – summer schedule

Mine is magnetic and goes right on the fridge.  When they ask me when we are going to the pool, I point to the fridge.   If they ask how many more days until the birthday party, I point to the fridge.  WHEN THEY ASK IF THEY CAN HAVE A SNACK…the SCHEDULE tells them they will have a snack AFTER chores and suddenly YOU’RE NOT THE BAD GUY!!! AND BONUS!!!  They’re practicing their CALENDAR SKILLS!!! WOOT! 

 I have learned to stay away from putting too many rules on our summer days. In the past I’ve tried the schedules that include “Make it Monday” and “Water Fun Wednesday.” But when the things we really wanted to do didn’t fit into that schedule, I felt a bit of mom guilt and a smidge of failure.

Nowadays, I lean towards the practice of having a bunch of fun activities prepped and entertaining excursions in mind at the beginning of the week, ready for action when the time is right. 

Summer Survival Schedule

In case you’re interested, here’s our schedule for the summer…I’m super flexible, but this is my baseline.  Like I said, I keep it simple.  


6:30AM  Wake up before everyone else, while the house is still quiet.  Pour a cup of coffee (duh) and have some quiet time.


7:00AM The children start waking up.  Breakfast immediatly or they will most likely die.


7:30AM  Get ready or we will probably never do this.  I take that back.  We will do this 5 minutes before Daddy gets home so it doesn’t look like we spent the day in our PJ’s.


8:00AM  Second cup of coffee.  Do not bother Mommy until this is finished.  They need time to play independently anyway.  It’s SCIENCE.

8:30AM  If we have someplace to go, it probably starts at 9.  So start getting in the car.  This will take FOREVER.  And you’ll be late. Don’t forget to pack a Snackle Box for the trip!


9:00AM  If there’s no outing scheduled, start some educational activities.  These are the things I’ll have planned and prepped before the week begins.  Because if I don’t, I’ll just say EFFIT.  I’ll have more ideas for you soon, so stay tuned!


10:00AM Snack Time, Reading Time (You’ll be reading about my family’s Reading Time in the next few days…)


11:00AM Play some more!!!Have some fun!  Play outside!  Read!  Cook! Make a craft! Experiment!  Exercise together!


12:00PM Lunch Time


1:00PM Chores & Cash in Rewards (I’ll be sharing my Chores, Behavior, and Rewards systems soon!)


2:00PM  Nap Time/Quiet Time

3:00PM Big Kid Fun Stuff (That the nappers can’t do…)


4:00PM Wake up Nappers, Ten Minute Tidy (Have you been doing this?  We’ll chat more about it later…)


4:30PM Daddy Home!

  • Summer Survival Series – Chore Chart and Schedules
  • Chore Chart and Schedule

Summer Survival Evening Prep


After bedtime (we start our routine at 8:00PM), I clean the kitchen, do more laundry, get stuff ready for the next day if necessary, take a shower, have more coffee, and unwind.

 

Summer Survival Tips

I rarely start something new without putting procedures into practice.  It’s the Kindergarten teacher in me. I spent the first TWO WEEKS of school simply practicing procedures, like sitting in a circle quietly, raising our hands, using the restroom.  Basic.  Tedious.  And necessary.  Especially for creating order and peace in our classrooms and in our homes.  

You’re already doing this, or at least you should be.  Do your little ones know what to do when you say, “It’s bed time!” or “Time to go bye bye!”?  If they run for their toothbrush in the first instance, or their shoes and jackets in the second, you’ve set up procedures in your home!  YAY!  If not, I suggest spending the first few days of summer practicing your new routines.

If you truly want to make your life easier, start expecting the same thing from your littles each time you move on to the next part of your day. 

For example, when it’s time for snack, we 1) wash our hands, 2) get our cups, 3) get into our seats, 4) wipe our hands when we are finished, 5) excuse ourselves from the table and 6) clean our spots.  They can do this, and you can, too!

I hope day one of my Summer Survival Series has your wheels turning with ideas of your own on how to put routines and procedures into practice in your home this summer.

Stop by again tomorrow to find out how I’m cracking down on chores, managing the behaviors in my home, and rewarding my little sweet peas for all of their hard work and good choices! ~ Boo

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