LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE
story by Cynthia Ford
8 things that you can do to add a twist to your summer Bring out the slip and slide, the sweetest watermelon, the freeze pops, and flip flops! It is summertime! The blazing sun and songbirds are sure to greet you bright and early each morning. The weather boasts in its strength, climbing to its highest and scattering storms throughout. Students are free from school and parents are busy scheduling childcare, family trips, and cookouts.
whole day. There were a few ground rules to this special day, however, it was an exciting day for the children. Pick a day, let the children know ahead of time that you are giving them a YES Day, and get ready for an exciting venture. Children will be engaged in following rules, making decisions, and planning. Make it as fun and safe as possible.
This scenario is not everyone’s story. Some struggle with trying to figure out what to do during the summer, how to stay active, or in some cases how to stay safe. As adults, we should remember that our children just spent 180 days in an educational institution and only have a little over 60 days for freedom for the summer. The continuous routine of education is required by law for students from kindergarten until age 17. Many students are either 17 or 18 by the time they graduate from high school. There is additional time spent towards afterschool activities such as homework and school activities.
second, have a family or community field day at a local park. Feld day is one of the highlights at the end of the school year. Pick a day and invite other family members or friends. Decide which games and obstacle courses you want to prepare and have inexpensive prizes for potential winners. Children will learn to be competitive, encourage others, and exciting ways to stay physically active.
As we age, let’s never forget what it was like to be young, for we may be that one shining example for a young person in our path. This summer let us commit to ensuring our children take a moment to understand the value of time, seize moments to enjoy, create everlasting memories, and ensure that they are safe. In this article, I will share eight brief ideas of things that you can do to add a twist to your summer. First, give your child a Yes Day. In February of this year, the movie Yes Day was released. In the movie, the parents agreed to say yes to their children’s request for a 42
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July 2021
thirdly, add a twist to summer reading. Pick a day to check out books at the local library. Have a family drama night, and let your child do a dramatic performance based on a book they chose. It is often suggested for children to continue reading during the summer. Many libraries offer summer reading camps and would love to help with individual summer activities. Reading helps to keep the mind engaged and vocabulary increased. This time add a twist to your reading adventure. The Fourth idea is to discover history and arts. Sometimes history and the arts end up being a hidden treasure tucked away. History should always be remembered. One important piece of history that you can share with your children is your family tree. Start a family project and see how far back in history you can
