Summer Tips: Scheduling, Part 2

Last week we challenged you to take some time and create a daily schedule for your family this summer. We hope that you did that.

This week we will give you a sample of our summer days with our kids. The benefits of directing and leading your children far outweigh the abstract idea of just "hanging out." Keep in mind that God worked six days and rested on the seventh. 1:7 is a good ratio for free time.

Here is a sample schedule followed by some comments.

7:00 arise—morning responsibilities (wash face, make bed, personal Bible time)

7:30 breakfast and clean up

8:15 Bible study (together, usually a Bible story)

8:45 outdoor play (not structured)

9:45 math and reading and writing skills review (practice workbooks are available in many stores)

10:45 snack

11:00 household jobs or yardwork (time varies)

11:45 recreation / a game together or something else fun

12:15 lunch and clean up

12:45 individual reading or resting time (time depends on age)

1:15 afternoon activity time (pool, park, slip-and-slide. . .)

4:00 return from pool, showers and all

4:30 music practice, drawing, hobbies, or new skill practice

One child plans and cooks the meal (with help)

Evening:
6:15 Mealtime and conversation about the day

7:15 Clean-up

7:30 family time (games,movie,read aloud,walk. . .)

9:00 Bedtime preparation (pajamas, teeth, 10 verses from Proverbs, a song, a prayer)

1. Don’t be rigid; be flexible. The schedule is to help you, not drive you.

2. Change the schedule as you need to. Some days you just don’t need it.

3. Have fun; enjoy your children. Your lives together last for such a short time. Time passes much too quickly for a mom.

4. Do the same things over and over each day. They like repeating the same kinds of things.

5. If you are a working mom and have a babysitter, it is even more important that you build a schedule into the day. Give it to the babysitter and expect her to follow through.

Areas to keep in mind: [1-12 years]

I determined the GETTING UP TIME, because that put me in control of the day; so even though I may have let them sleep later, it wasn’t random.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

MEALS TOGETHER whenever possible. As the kids get older, you may want to do breakfast and dinner as a family and allow snacking for lunch with paper plates.

JOBS AROUND THE HOUSE and yard

EXERCISE or cardio activity (I had a 20 minute kids’ aerobic DVD that used fast and slow animals to give the kids a workout if we didn’t have a pool day), or slip n slide, or an early morning bike ride

READING AND MATH time (Anyone can buy books at the teachers’ supply store. Choose a grade and do one or two pages a day.

DRAWING--When my kids were growing up there was a 30 minute show where the host showed children how to draw. I also bought a book called “Teaching Children to Draw” We would sit around with paper and different art media and follow the instructions to create masterpieces!

LEARNING A NEW SKILL, craft, or hobby [This takes involvement from you to get them started] This could also include computer skills: power point, designing web applications, keyboarding

Each child had a night where he had to PREPARE THE EVENING MEAL. It involved going through the cookbooks [kids cookbooks are fun and are available through the library], making a shopping list, and doing the preparation [with help if needed]. Lots of fun and variety emerged as each one’s adventurous tastes had an opportunity of expression.

MUSIC PRACTICE

INDIVIDUAL READING-- The video game time was determined by how much reading time one had. It was equal. 30 minutes of reading = 30 minutes of video games

GAME TIME outside, or inside board games

SCHEDULED MOVIE OR TV TIME

FAMILY READ ALOUD TIME

PLANNED TRIPS are great if you can do it every week or every two weeks. Try to take advantage of what is available in the city where you live: hands on science museum, art museums, take tours (We scheduled a family tour in the government building one year—a learning experience for all of us). Just ask.

Kids have their own BIBLE READING, but in the summer I do a study with them. We have studied individual character qualities, friendships, and the tongue. Have each child select a Bible character to study, identify with, and imitate.

Quote: The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Michelangelo

Copyright 2008 ParentWisdomNet

A Safety Net

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

“Peanuts, Candy, Popcorn! Get it before the Big Show starts!” Painted elephants, crazy clowns, roaring lions-- the responsible ringmaster was hosting the show with charm and dignity. Sitting with my brothers and sisters in the Cow Palace in San Francisco, our eyes absorbed the delight before us.

Remember the trapeze artists high up in the air performing stunts, twirls, walking so courageously on the tight rope? While we would watch, breathless for their safety, we hardly noticed there was a net spread out in case of a fall.

Imagine having a safety net spread underneath your children as they are walking the tight rope of life, of growing up, of maturing.

After becoming a Christian and while I was growing in the Lord, the “Paul-Timothy” model was very alive in my life [it still is]. Older Christians were the stakes; I was the limp tomato plant. My naiveté, simply my ignorance of God and His ways, was my biggest obstacle. These “stakes”, the Christians who were older in the Lord, taught me and helped me through life circumstances.

As parents, we were very intentional in building intergenerational relationships. As our children have grown, we encouraged them, too, to find “Pauls” within the church community.

When our second child was in high school, there was a restlessness in him. He was searching and searching in some dangerous places. Out of the relationships we had built in the community, an older guy in the church community began to reach out to him, to be a friend, to help him through the turbulence, to help him find the personal God who loved and cared for him.

The family is part of the church community. The church community is the safety net that God Himself has provided. Build intergenerational relationships as a family. Encourage your children to find Pauls and build relationship.

Question of the week: How do you maintain unity with your family and your church community?

Last week's question: How do you maintain consistency in your parenting?

Here are a few thoughts we have picked up through the years. 1) Stay involved in church and be accountable to someone in particular. The blind cannot lead the blind; the church helps you know where you are going as a parent. 2) Find parental models you can imitate and that you can talk to. Then. . . talk to them. 3) Fellowship with "cutting edge Christians" inside and outside your own church. Be connected to those who are growing and who are doing the will of God productively. 4) Always PRAY. Short little prayers, "on your knees" prayers, individual prayers, corporate prayers, PRAY!