It took me three weeks, but I did it. I finally compiled a list of skills I want my kids to work on this summer. These are skills that I don’t have time to address during the school year and by focusing now…we will all benefit next school year. They get a reward for each skill mastered and a bonus if they complete every one.
Currently, my kids ages who are included in this are: 14, 13, 12, 11, 9. My 9-year-old is more on the level of a 7-year-old (for reference on what expectations I have for her). In case you cannot read the picture and want some ideas for your house:
Biblestudy – Our older four will be joining us weekly as we learn from our pastor about how to study the Bible. If they attend weekly with us and do the homework in between, they will get this box checked off.
Verses – They each are to pick 3 verses that are meaningful to them and memorize them.
Cook – The older four each have to show mastery in 3 dinner meals and 2 baked items. DOP has to learn how to make 2 lunch items. By mastery I mean that they must make it start to finish without my help. Yes, I spend time all summer working alongside them as they learn from me first. I don’t just throw them into the kitchen and expect mastery.
Books – Each has a different amount of level appropriate books they must read this summer.
Math – Some of them are still working on math through the summer for various reasons. When they finish their book or a certain amount of worksheets, they get a box checked off.
Deep cleaning – The older four are learning how to deep clean a bathroom. I’m just about all done with this surface stuff. It just doesn’t cut it anymore when there are 8 of us using the bathrooms each day!
Typing – Each of the older four are continuing to practice their typing skills. It’s a computer age. How can they function in life if they have to chicken peck the keyboard for everything?
Activities with Little E – The older four are required to get on the web (usually P*interest), choose a preschool activity they’d like to do with their youngest sister, make a list of supplies and make it happen. It doesn’t hurt them to learn how to teach someone younger than them. And it certainly doesn’t hurt Little E to do the focused activities and practice joint attention.
Write to A – Everyone has the opportunity to write a letter or draw a picture for our child that we sponsor through Children’s Hope Chest. If everyone child writes one, that’s 6 months of letters already taken care of for the upcoming year!
Put Little E to bed – This one is for Mini-Me alone. She has become quite trustworthy at babysitting her younger siblings, but the one thing I haven’t handed over to her yet is putting Little E to bed. So I typically rush home from wherever I am to put her to bed if The Driver is not available. So…by the end of the summer, my hope is that I can entrust that to her and not have to rush home! Can anyone say “date night?” 🙂
No matter the age of your kids, I hope you take a bit of time now to invest in their future. They won’t be under your roof forever. If you don’t make the investment now…when?
