School's Almost Out! Prepare for the Summer Ahead!

The end of the school year brings about a lot of activity for students and adults alike. There may be a

graduation coming up, awards ceremonies, and other school functions at this time. Those events that you will be proudly attending are also good times to work in a little extra parent/child bonding. They are great opportunities to take your son or daughter for a treat afterwards and have some talk time and the opportunity to tell them how proud you are of them. The treat could be anything from a stop for ice cream or yogurt to a more sophisticated dessert and coffee at a restaurant. Those special times happen quickly and any time you can make them a more memorable time to cement your relationship with your child, so much the better!

A lot of kids will find themselves home for the summer and there is LOTS that can be done not only to have them help you, but teach them how to handle home emergencies and keep their days and their brains active.

If your child will be home alone this summer, consider discussing the following:
1. answering the phone and taking messages
2. going to a friend's house or having friends over
3. safety at home (locking up when they leave, IF they can leave etc.)
4. choking, poisoning or accidental injury - have a cabinet stocked with emergency medical supplies and make sure they know a reliable neighbor they can go to in an emergency if you can't get to them quick enough
5.what to do if a fire took place or flooding from a burst pipe (how to turn off the water) what to do to prepare for severe weather etc.
6.what to do about a stranger on the phone or at the door
7.what to do if someone hassles or threatens them 

It would also be good to have a WRITTEN list of 
a. emergency contact numbers
b. chores for each child
c. and don't forget notes of encouragement, bible verses and things that will get them thinking and lift their spirits and encourage them to be happy and productive. (For example - they did a fine job on their chores, feeding the dogs etc. and there are tons of great quotes all over the internet that can spur them on to greatness.)

Another item of importance is that of what they will have to eat during the day:
You can make ahead and leave notes about what they can eat.
You can teach them some simple no-bake and microwave recipes.
(I will list some of these in a future post)

Summer does not have to be a time of boredom or kids making you pull your hair it. It can be a time of great fun, getting things done and a time of growth.