I'm the mom that's all about keeping a schedule. Every summer I had a list on the refrigerator stating exactly what my kids had to do each and every day before they touched the electronics. My list for them looked something like the below just to give you an idea.
Kids Summer Schedule
- Do 20 minutes of math daily.
- Clean your room.
- Do one chore of my choosing.
- Spend at least 20 minutes outside.
- Do a craft for 20 minutes or more.
I recently asked on the Mom Among Chaos Facebook page what other parents did for the summer when school was released. I ended up with a little of everything. Some parents were just like me, and others said they can do pretty much anything just don't drive them nutty.
I'm a nag, yes, I think most moms tend to be. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's a proven fact when kids are reminded, nagged, etc. they tend to do better in school and in life in general.
But, what happens when you just don't feel like nagging?
You get to the point that you even annoy yourself with your nagging.
Yes, I annoy myself that I even have to remind my kids to put that dish away or also flush the toilet. Can you actually believe that I have to tell a teen and tween to flush the toilet? C'mom even two-year-olds flush. They even find it big fun.
This summer there is no list. Yes, no daily math, crafts, or anything else I can dream up to add to the list.
What has been the result?
I'm finding that I have helpful mostly quiet kids. My teenager has gladly helped around the house when I've asked. I seriously haven't had many chores in the last two weeks.
My tween is helpful in spurts. I think her hormones are starting to make her grumpy.
So, I'm not saying that it's a free for all. No, you shouldn't allow your kids to sit like a zombie on their phone all day, but maybe we just need to let go a little. Perhaps it's not about the kids..maybe we all need a step away from the crazy schedules that life throws at us.
I want you to try to spend a few minutes watching your kids. I know my kids lay in bed for quite awhile and just play with their electronics. So, I sat in my bed for an hour today just being lazy and boy did it feel good.
Let's give ourselves and our kids a little freedom from schedules and see where it takes us. We might just save our own sanity!
Tell me about your summer schedule in the comments!
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