I love our summer rhythm. With co-op completed for the year, we have days to fill as we wish and it reminds me of the early days of homeschooling when simple pleasures could count as school – reading aloud, cooking together, nature walks, etc.
Our summer school days are lovely. We start around 9:00 after everyone has had breakfast and dressed. We alternate between art study, crafts, reading aloud, self development, history and math (always). Surprisingly (or not?) girls enjoy and appreciate this dedicated, low-key time as much as I do. Okay, once Kaitlyn has mentally woken up, that may take a minute and a cup of “coffee” (creamer with a splash of coffee that colors it barely white).
A few days ago Hailey and I tackled the craft bins and homeschool room, creating an oasis for creativity to flow and connection. exactly the same berenstain bears messy room book (a classic of my childhood and always loved them too), it really is so much more enjoyable to have an organized space.
This week we have art card Competitions (1 point for painting title, 1 point for artist), bracelets made and uv resin jewelryReceived half of Murder on the Orient Express, and worked on the solution to x. But there’s more to it than that…
Haley learned how to make pickled red onions. Caitlin learned that tomatoes don’t like their leaves getting wet when watering. The two of them learned how to distract Earl from the mess when it was time to collect eggs.
I like things in life.
Haley is entering high school in the fall and I’m feeling more aware of it with each passing day. I’m not stressing about it because I’ve firmly made up my mind that I will enjoy every season of my life, but I hear questions begin to arise in the mind, such as “Have I taught him enough? Prepared him for life in the best way possible?” I listen to those answers and then feel really lucky that I have 4 more years to give him under our roof.
And that brings me to why I love summer so much. It’s a time for playing in the kitchen, hanging out, having relaxed conversations about important (and unimportant) aspects of life. During this season it’s a time for them to learn how to earn money (pet sitting is at the top of the list right now) and invest it. It’s a time for all those life-related things that sometimes get pushed aside when research papers and sports practice are filling their days.
A friend of my kids joined us for the afternoon yesterday and Haley helped me set up some fun activities. We stocked up on soap, oil lamps, and herb-infused honey (as always, I highly recommend attainable sustainable For children of all ages).
It was great to have her along, helping to create a fun experience for the little ones. She herself is still a child and enjoys these crafts and activities as much as they do, but it was wonderful to see her step into the role of helping with planning and implementation.
Add learning how to be a great babysitter/camp counselor/mom-to-be to her life skills summer list. ✅
If you’re looking for some basic life skills to focus on during the summer, here are some things I put together that I want my tweens and teens to know how to do. It can be fun to create a checklist and get rewards when you achieve certain milestones, or it can be fun to keep the list with you and simply incorporate it into your days.
around the house
- wash a lot of clothes from start to finish
- change their sheets and make their bed
- clean a bathroom
- Place groceries in the right place and load/unload the dishwasher correctly
- Help care for a pet or garden (for the whole day, like see Complete Care Routine)
in the kitchen
- Make their own (healthy/balanced) breakfast or lunch
- follow a simple recipe
- learn to bake bread
- cook dinner for a family
- Assemble a Simple Appetizer to Share with Friends
out of the world
- Politely order your own food
- Make a phone call or send a clear email
- Grocery shop from a list (and learn grocery store secrets like comparing cost per ounce instead of just cost on the tag)
- Plan a meal or gathering or craft and stick to a given budget
- Practice Tipping at a Restaurant
personal responsibility
- Master personal hygiene such as applying deodorant consistently, simple facial cleansing routines, washing hair and caring for them independently, etc.
- Learn time tracking to see how they spend their time during the day
- Add commitments and activities to calendar
- Pack your own bag for the pool, sports or travel
- Set a personal goal for the week or month and track their progress (running X number of days per week, reading X number of pages per day, etc.)
Safety and General Knowledge
- Know how to deal with minor cuts, burns or insect bites
- Learn how to be aware of your surroundings in public places
- Understand and practice safe behavior around ponds, lakes and oceans
- Learn to recognize unsafe texts, links or messages
- Know how to use kitchen appliances safely (unplug mixer before reaching inside, etc.)
I understand they learn a lot of these just by living life with us, but sometimes a little intentionality with these things helps reassure me that we have practiced them.
How are you? Is summer a more comfortable season for you? What life skills do you think are important for children to learn and practice as they grow up?
