Summertime means full time fun for kids -- or does it? Should you help your child fill the summer days with more than just fun? How much time should your kids spend in front of a screen? Should chores and reading be part of your summer?
Each year, teachers work to re-establish good reading habits and to correct 'summer slide' at the beginning of the school year. Keep your kids on reading level by encouraging summer reading. Have your kids read to Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, or a younger sibling. Local public libraries offers many fun ways to learn and reading opportunities during the summer. There are also many summer activities at the library, including many family-friendly free events for kids to learn more and enjoy social time.
Do your kids wake up every day and head straight for the iPad, laptop, or TV? It's summertime, right? But do you get summers off? Meals still need to be cooked, laundry still needs washing, and the house still needs to be tidied. There's no time like summertime to teach kids the 'work before play' philosophy. Post chore charts so your kids will know what they NEED to do before they do what they WANT to do. There's an example in the slideshow above, shared by local mom and school board member, Katie Snyder.
There's nothing wrong with summer fun and screen time -- in moderation. Help your kids stay on track for the next school year by spending a little time each day reading. Spending a little time each day all pitching in to get the house in shape means more summer fun time for the whole family.
Check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid event calendar for summer reading programs at Lynchburg Public Library and many other libraries across Central Virginia. A book a day will fill your children's summer with reading fun and help prepare them for school in the fall!
