Summer Fun?

We live in Arizona.  We don't have a pool.  So the kids can't really play outside a lot during summer vacation unless we go to someone else's pool (which we do a lot!).  But they have hours and hours in the house.  At the beginning of the summer they usually stay busy, but after a week or so, invariably, they are spending way too many hours in front of a screen.

Not this summer.

I am limiting each of the kids to one hour of screen time, unless we decide to watch a family movie or there is another special occasion.  But for normal days, one hour.  That's it.

So I made a "to do" list for them which includes not only their chores, but also other activities that need to be completed in order to be allowed screen time.  The activities that are marked with an asterisk have to be done before any extra activity is allowed, like playing with a friend.  But if they want screen time, they have to complete each of the boxes for that day.

Here is my first draft.  After using it for a day or two to make sure it's perfect, I will print it on cardstock and laminate it.  

Some of their items will make more sense with some background explanation.  So here goes.

We set goals for this summer.  Well....I set goals, and the kids shrugged their shoulders, which means, "YES!  That is a great idea mom!"  Many of the tasks are related to our goals.  Our goals are:

1.  Each child 8 and older will read the Book of Mormon in its entirety independently this summer.

2.  We will memorize where each of the 195 countries in the world is.

3.  We will re-watch or re-read each of the General Conference talks from the April 2014 General Conference.

4.  We will each be able to do ONE pull up by the end of the summer.

5.  We will write in our journals every day.

Some of these goals are a little more lofty than others.  Some will be adapted based on age or ability.  For example.  Cooper will probably not memorize where each of the 195 countries are.  However, I have a list of five countries for him to memorize each week.  Regan will probably not be able to do a pull up because she doesn't have very good upper body strength.  But she will gain some upper body strength by working on it every day.  Cooper is also not reading the Book of Mormon this summer, but he has started reading it and hopes to finish it by August 2015 when he will turn 8.  He is getting better and faster every day!  

We will leave on vacation about six weeks into our summer and we will be gone a month to escape the heat.  So we'll see how we are able to keep up with all of our goals while we're traveling.  Most of them should be just as easy to do in the car or at grandma's house, but things always slide a little a lot when we're on vacation.  Let's hope that this is the year that we can toss our ADHD aside and continue focusing all summer!

If you have any great suggestions on how you manage all that spare time in the summer, comment!  I love new ideas!