oh what do you do in the summertime

Just for the record, I don't dread summer. With the kids home all day everyday. I actually quite enjoy it. But let's be honest, unless you're on year-round, the traditional school year summer can get a. . . little. . . l o n g. Oh, why won't the school gods shine down on me and give me year-round, but just until ashlyn starts junior high. After that I don't want it anymore. Is that so much to ask?

So in my ongoing efforts to entertain my children and myself, last summer we started something that they loved (on most days--as goes with anything. Geesh kids are so. . . temperamental.) We call it our summer workshop and this is how it works: 1. make a list of small/short activities the children can do on their own with no or minimal assistance from mother. 2. list them in order from one to ten, having the kids begin each day at one and work their way through the numbers (switch it up every day or two to keep things spicy) 3. at the end of the day, each child receives the number of dots they got to in workshop. So, for example, if cam got to number four, he would receive four dots. 4. Have a store each Friday where the children can purchase things with their dots
Now why do I like our little workshop? For many reasons: it was my favorite part of Mrs. VanDykes's third grade class. Oh I loved that woman and her wonderful workshop. . . and her smelly stickers. Also, it helps my children get things done each day that I want them to do, such as their chores, practice their various "skills", do nice things for their brothers and sisters, stuff like that. And last but most certainly not least, they are entertained by something besides yours truly. Good heavens, there is more than enough time for that. And just so you know, Andy had his own jar too. Which he promptly picked up by the lid and shattered on the wood floor. Now he has a non matching jar. And that, my friends, is just life.