Summertime Well Spent

Christine Hanus shares practical tips for parents who want summer to be enjoyable, but know they need to provide some structure for their kids.

Summer months are exciting, but they can also be a little terrifying for moms who are accustomed to having their children in school all day. While raising my children, I found “free time” was often the hardest to manage, whether my kids were in school or during our homeschooling years. 

I remember one episode in which I had been scolding my four oldest children — all under the age of 12 — as I frantically tried to control the maelstrom swirling around my house. Finally, I just sat down on the arm of the sofa and slipped into a comatose-like state. Eventually, my kids all gathered around me. After asking me several questions that went unanswered, they became silent and thoughtful. Then the 6-year-old whispered, “Do you think she is done yelling in her head?” 

What do we do with all this free time?

Even though we moms (usually) love being around our children, managing their time and energy over the summer months can be a challenge. We may anticipate trouble between siblings. We may feel pressured to increase screen time. We don’t want our children doing “nothing” all summer, but we want them to have a mental break from hard-core academics. 

If you feel the need to give direction to your children's energies this summer, consider the following two basic principles (with some practical resources!): 

Recognize your children’s deepest needs. Ask God to help you meet them. 

Extra time with your children will allow you to ascertain where your kids are educationally, emotionally, and spiritually. Don’t be afraid of what you might find, just focus on being with them and seeing them. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify what their (perhaps hidden) struggles are. Help them find healing and be strengthened.  

Pray: O Holy Spirit, please show me how to love my child better and, by your power, help me minister to his/her needs. 

Take a deep, figurative breath during the first days of summer vacation and help your children do the same. Show your children that you enjoy their company.  

Basically, as one of my little sons used to say, “Love ‘em up!” 

Four ways to foster the love of learning

Here are some ways to foster your child’s love of learning, the joy of learning for its own sake and not for a “good grade.” Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Just pick something and give it a whirl. 

• Get out a map or a globe and spend an hour hunting down various countries and geographical features. Find fun suggestions about ways to explore geography on the internet. 
• Read aloud. It may seem too simple, but it is powerful! Choose a book that has some substance but is still enjoyable. When my children were little, I dutifully read them picture books, but what I particularly relished was reading aloud to my children when they were older. Discuss the content and themes. This is what teachers are doing with our children at school, and we parents need to jump on that bandwagon! 
• Memorize something. Help your children memorize Scripture, a history timeline, or an excerpt of an important document. Use flash cards and motivate them to master math facts. It can make all the difference for the upcoming academic year! 
• Nature journaling is great for summer months! If your child has trouble writing, let him dictate to you while you write for him. Sometimes children have a lot to say but it is too difficult to express thoughts while focusing on the mechanics of writing. 

Fostering a love of learning isn’t hard, but it does take time. We must set the example and get off our couch and our phone. Then we will have the credibility to require our children to do the same. 

Final thoughts

While vacations from school can drive nearly anyone to distraction, an inability to cope with our own kids should be recognized as a red flag. If somewhere along the line you have dropped the reins as a parent and your family life resembles a runaway horse, it is not too late. With concrete, systematic changes, your loving parental heart and God’s grace will help you turn things around.  

Also, keep in mind that it is okay to let your children be bored. Boredom leads to creativity. Boredom can also lead to silence. Children who are constantly surrounded by noise and stimulation do not know how to contemplate or how to process their own thoughts and feelings.  

Vacation should be relaxing and enjoyable, but if we don’t make an effort to direct our children’s energies, especially during summer vacation, it is likely to be neither! And a light-hearted plan for togetherness and fun opportunities for learning can make us look back on this summer as time truly well-spent. 

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Copyright 2024 Christine Hanus
Images: Canva