I LOVE Routines, not so much a strict schedule, but a routine, which I happen to believe is the best form of discipline we can provide for our children. They know what's coming and what is expected of them .
Our (I'm speaking for the kids and I) Summer Routine (when we're home!) generally looks like this:
Mondays- home and at the Corps briefly (1-2 hours) with the kids to clean/set-up for stuff. Then we use the day to catch up on chores, run errands (mostly for the Corps) and I try to make sure we do a fun/learning activity. Lately it has been the library and we have been learning how to Break Dance and Hula Dance with some videos we've checked out. We even re-arranged the living room furniture for our "dance" lessons.
Tuesdays- Ann and Hannah go to "school" from 11am-4pm while the boys go to the GameRoom and I work in my Office/help with the Game Room. Mary takes a ride in my ergo or sleeps in the playpen in my office.
Wednesdays- We're all at the Corps from 7:30am-Noon. The kids play upstairs (GameRoom, Nursery, SS Rooms) and our Nursery worker watches Ann and Hannah while I'm in Home League. Otherwise they like to "help" (I use that term very loosely) me get some work done in my Office or wherever I may be in the building.
Thursdays- same as Tuesdays
Fridays- home, grocery shopping and errands and whatever else we want or need to do. Today we had our good friends, the Browns, over for a long lunch, but not long enough! Time flies when we're together.
Saturday-free day and catch up day! (sermon/sunday school/community care preparations)
Sunday- Church and Community Care Ministries (our favorite day!! but usually long and draining)
I really enjoy and savor having the boys ALL to myself in the Summer when school's out. The reason I change my Corps Office schedule is so that I am present while the Summer Game Room is open. Even though I'm busy getting work done, I can still take breaks and walk across the hall and visit with our youth. (They kept coming in my office for a hello and a visit but I finally had to start closing my door or else I wouldn't get anything done!)
Keeping my kiddos occupied during the Summer months:
I believe prolonged boredom leads to trouble!! so I like to keep my kids busy, not adult busy, but kid busy... here are some things we do everyday:
- Chores for everyone, even Hannah, and whatever else mom needs done
- Music 'appreciation' (my best friend from Highschool, Tiffany, taught me this one!)
- Reading for at least 30 minutes
- some TV time (about an hour or so- more if we're watching a learning show- they like to find those!)
- playing with toys
- endless projects from the art box
- playing outside (water play, digging, swingset, etc)
- consulting the activity list- a posterboard of ideas to stay busy with like using the magnifying glass, playing a board game and 60+ fun and do-able ideas in the Chouinard home (I learned this from my good friend Stacie who has had one of these posted as long as I've known her)
So that's what works for us. If you're like me, than you use ideas that fit into your lifestyle, and toss out the other ones. Or even some ideas might generate more ideas for you! That happens regularly in this good ole' brain God gave me and I say "thank you God! something else to try out on my poor, guinea-pig, trial and error kids!" (ha!ha!).
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