--- title: "Small Success: The Summer Plan" description: What small successes are you celebrating this week? Join the fun and get some encouragement, too! Sherry Antonetti hosts this fun weekly feature. How's your summer plan going? --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/06/23/small-success-summer-plan#) # Small Success: The Summer Plan Jun 23, 2016 8:00:16 AM  |  by [Sherry Antonetti](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sherry-antonetti) [![Small Success dark blue outline 800x800](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Small-Success-dark-blue-outline-800x8001-400x400-48.png?width=400&height=400&name=Small-Success-dark-blue-outline-800x8001-400x400-48.png)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Small-Success-dark-blue-outline-800x8001-61.png) Writing and prayer have proven difficult, and time to do either, limited since all ten Antonetti children came home for part of the summer. Add to that the two teens working, one the early morning shift, the other the late night, and sleep also has taken it  on the chin for the past six weeks. All I can say is I felt tired. Top that with the staggered ending days for the five different schools and my brain felt scattered. However, this week, the last school ends for the summer, and this week, we start the summer plan. Every day, the kids have to do six things to get to their beloved screens. 1) Math books. One lesson. 2) Read 30 minutes. 3) Practice your instrument 30 minutes. 4) Clean one room (really) or yard work for 30 minutes. 5) Exercise for 30 minutes. 6) Play a game with two other siblings (board or card or outside). Those who adopt this discover they feel a sense of accomplishment, and the day flies by. Those who refuse discover the day to be dull and long. Fortunately, some of them have embraced the program. We're working on the others. I'm offering prizes to those who get with the program. I'm hoping they figure out before long, this really does work, and it really does make life less difficult. My list runs along the same route, though I write instead of doing math, *anything but math*. The kids are thinking, "I should have to do a high school math book to get my brain capable of helping with the next kid who has calculus." I'm thinking, "I'd rather do another 30 minutes of exercise, housework or yard work, but I'm willing to flail around if they're willing to get with the program." I'll let you know how pathetic I am next week. Pray for me, that I survive my own attempt at cleverness with my family. [inlinkz_linkup id=635809 mode=1] *Copyright 2016 Sherry Antonetti* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F06%2F23%2Fsmall-success-summer-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F06%2F23%2Fsmall-success-summer-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F06%2F23%2Fsmall-success-summer-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Small%20Success%3A%20The%20Summer%20Plan) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F06%2F23%2Fsmall-success-summer-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F06%2F23%2Fsmall-success-summer-plan%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Sherry Antonetti](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Sherry%20Antonetti.jpg) ### [Sherry Antonetti](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/sherry-antonetti) Sherry Antonetti is a freelance writer, high school teacher and a blogger at Patheos. She and her husband live in Maryland with nine of their ten children and a puppy named Pumpkin. [**](https://twitter.com/sherryantonetti) ## Related Blog Articles [ Small Success Thursday: Summer Vacation Special Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/08/11/small-success-thursday-august-11) [ Small Success: All She Wants is Time Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/04/14/small-success-wants-time) [ Small Success: The Side They Pierced Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/10/27/small-success-side-pierced) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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