With summer here (or almost here for us), I have spent many an hour thinking about our daily routine.  There are several things that I have come to know about my children:  they are freshest (mentally and creatively) in the morning, they love playing the Wii more than watching TV but will not beg for it if they have an allotted time to play, they are usually happy to help with chores if I give them specific instructions, and they tend not to fight when we are taking a nature walk or riding bikes.

So based on these, and then some of my own ideas and values (as well as those of my sister, who I’ve been having brainstorming sessions with on this topic), I have come up with a system that I hope will be a success for our family this summer.  The first rule is no screen time before noon.  In order for my children to earn the privilege of playing some Wii or DS or watching some TV, they must complete 3 of the following.

• Chores – When school is in session, my children do not do as many chores.  They are already quite busy with school and homework and afterschool activities.  This summer, I hope to introduce them to a higher level of pitching in:  laundry, dishes, vacuuming, and bathrooms.  They will have options, but must complete at least one chore each day.
• Reading Time – Two of my children are now reading chapter books.  I want to encourage them to read and explore through books by requiring them to read 30 minutes (minimum) each day.  I plan to keep them well-stocked with books from the library and introduce them to the pleasure of reading on a blanket outdoors.
• Table Time – I call it this because my children sit at our kitchen table to draw and color and write.  30 minutes of table time could include worksheets, coloring sheets, creative writing, or drawing.  All you really need for this is a ream of paper, a notebook for each child, a couple of coloring books, some pencils, and some colors or markers.
• Cooking – I consider myself a good cook today, but one of my nicknames in high school (thanks, Marcie) was Betty Crocker because of my inability to cook even basic foods.  I don’t want my children to have such a disability.  I visited a blog once where all 6 of her children had specific tasks for that evening’s meal such as help with the main dish, salad prep, dessert prep, bread baking, drinks, etc.  I hope to incorporate my children more in the preparation of our meals this summer by assigning them a food prep task.
• Outdoor Time – For some kids, getting them to play outdoors is a struggle.  Assigning 30 minutes of outdoor time to each day will be a good way to ensure that your children get outside and burn off some energy.   Make it fun time or include some outdoor chores such as pulling weeds or watering gardens.

Members to ListPlanIt will find chore charts, practice logs, reading logs, and  morein Family Matters.  Not yet a member?  Join today and get organized for a fun summer!  Be sure to check out 100 Days of Summertime for more ideas on how to make the most of your summer.

What activities do you plan to encourage this summer?  What is your system or routine like?