AMP Up Your Summer Fun and Learning!

Our Wise Parents, Wise Kids series is all about getting more out of the summer.  Awhile back, we had an idea-filled conversation with Dottie Miller, Teacher and Mom, and Angela Woodrow, Parent Advocate and Mom.  We discussed ways to easily and enjoyably turn our kids “Brain Drain” into “Brain Gain”.  We shared a lot of great ideas, so listen in on the recording: bit.ly/29gM7ei

The good thing about summer is that it is a break from the regular ‘grind’. The tricky part is to create a structure for the family that allows for relaxing and easy organizing of fun and engaging activities.

Here are my thoughts for inviting the whole family to get the most out of summer:

Grab a cool snack and call a family brainstorming meeting. Invite each person to share an idea or two he or she would still like to do in the days ahead . Discuss and jot down the best ideas and post them somewhere visible. As you do each one, be sure to check them off and see what else remains.
Towards the end of that meeting, you might also mention a few things you'd love to get done. The kids have probably outgrown clothes and may be ready to let go of some toys. Purging and reorganizing those items will get their rooms in better shape. Are there other projects inside the house or out in the yard you'd like to do?
Kids like to have a say in planning family fun. They appreciate having everyone listen to their ideas. Kids also like to know what family projects are coming up. Having a few days notice gives any "reluctant" helpers time to adjust to the idea of contributing. 

Watch for more great ways to engage your kids and enjoy your summer in other Wise Parents, Wise Kids conversations, including:

- A great summer resource that is free and fun: today's public library 
- "Yes" Day!  How one MOPS Mentor makes a summer day fun full of adventure 

- Geocaching-- a great way to explore your area on foot and introduce and refine your seek and search skills...what kid doesn't want to be on a treasure hunt? NOTE: this version is not POKEMON.

 

Share with me your thoughts and ideas for a great summer by connecting on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/janet.bonnin

Fun Reading Ideas to Help Your Family Thrive

After the festivities of the 4^th of July fizzle out, we have the long hot days of summer ahead of us. What is your survival plan?...And why just survive? Why not thrive….AND have FUN!

The one thing we all can do and it really does not cost any money at all is read. After all, the family that reads together, grows together.

I heard an author comment on his approach to reading in his family recently on the podcast “Think Out Loud” (OPB/ NPR). He recommends that you think of your kids’ reading in the summer like time at the amusement park. Letting them pick the ride correlates to letting them pick what they read in the summer.  When I think about it, it makes sense. If they pick the item/topic to read, they will read it. He keeps it simple by making sure they all read together twice a day. Around breakfast time—a luxury for him he acknowledges as he starts the day with the family due to his ‘hallway commute’ of a flight of stairs to his writing office. And they read together in the evening – all electronics off. Yes, we all have books on digital devices, but I like his approach. Unplug and use the time to read aloud to each other, or read around the fire pit or in comfy hammocks or chairs. Your children will thank you for this delightful and delicious summer time routine that can be a tradition they practice all lifelong. To ensure there is enough to read during the evening reading time, his family goes to the library once a week—sometimes more.

There are a lot of fun ways to make your summer enjoyable and thriving.  Intentional, easy, fun activities to add to the daily reading ritual will make for a summer that sparkles with interest instead of frustration. With this basic EASY, Low or NO Cost plan in place, your week will go by fast as you share with family and friends wonderful slow connecting activities like taking walk, playing a board game and perhaps a game of tag or corn hole.  

What would it be like if you and your family friends went to the library together? We have long been advocates of the local library here at Fine-Tuned Families (listen to our Wise Parent Wise Kids conversation with our local librarian here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLaHYT-H9Q

Share with us over on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/finetunedfamilies/ how you and your family are choosing to thrive this summer by sharing reading time together. What is the book or topic that is hot for your young readers? We are wondering what we should read next… let us know how your summer amusement of reading and connecting plays out!

Create Family Fun and a New Tradition - Start a "YES Day!"

 Fine Tuned Family: "Wise Parents, Wise Kids" Conversation with Sarah Markowski, MOPS Mentor, and Speaker

Sarah is an Air Force spouse and mom of 5 kids.  She prefers converse tennis shoes to high heels, and gets through everyday with a whole lot of Jesus and a little bit of coffee.  Sarah loves all things food-network, considers chocolate to be medicinal, and works out daily so she can keep up with her kids.  Her heartbeat is connecting with people, and if she has any free time, she loves to write on her blog and read.  Sarah lives each day “looking for the glitter” even if life gets a little gloomy because as every mom knows, even if you just have a little glitter it seems to get EVERYWHERE!

The "Wise Parents, Wise Kids" video chat between Janet Bonnin, Angela Woodrow and guest Sarah Markowski was really fun and filled with ideas!  You can see that by going here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijazlb49Uek

If you'd rather read about it, here are some highlights:

FTF: What is "YES Day"?

SM: YES! Day is a concept I borrowed from a children’s book of the same name. It’s a day that allows your children to ask for the (sometimes crazy) things that don’t fit into a regular “schedule” and gives you the chance to say YES!

FTF: Why did you decide to do a "YES Day"?

SM:I decided to do YES! Day because as a mom, I was feeling burdened by the amount of correction, redirection, and “no” that seemed to dominate my parenting journey.  I wanted my kids to feel the positive reinforcement of receiving permission, and I wanted to feel the empowerment that comes with giving permission.

FTF: What should parents do in order to have a successful "YES Day"?

SM: To prepare for YES! Day, I had to think three steps ahead of my kids.  I did write a few ground rules to prevent the day from spiraling out of control, and I started the day by presenting those so that we wouldn’t have confusion or conflict during the actual day.  As a parent, you have to think about what you are comfortable with and what your budget allows.  For instance, one of our rules was that the kids could not ask to do things that jeopardized their (or anyone else’s) safety.  I also had a rule that gave them each a $10 spending limit for the day (outside of food).  I was fine if they wanted to go out to eat three times that day, but I did not want to spend $500 on a clothing-shopping spree.

FTF: What was a favorite memory/moment from your "YES Day" experience?

SM: My favorite moment was at the very end of the day.  My oldest (about 14 at the time) had asked for NOTHING all day long.  By lunchtime I was suspicious.  Just as we were heading to bed, he said, “Mom, can I get a Facebook account?”  I was stunned.  His request did not break any of my ground rules.  He was crafty and clever.  I thought for a minute trying to figure out how I was going to get around this one.  I finally just said YES! But, in the morning we’ll talk about the guidelines that will come with that privilege!  I loved being able to reward his patience and creativity with a YES!

  

FTF: Would you do a "YES Day" again?

SM: We have done a YES! Day every year since that first one.  I usually surprise the kids on a day that is out of the blue when I feel like we could all use a little more fun and joy in our lives!

   

You can find the ‘Yes Day’ book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Day-Amy-Krouse.../0061152595Amazon.com,Inc.

Other ‘Yes! Day’ resources:

People reading ‘Yes! Day’ book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbyJVDfmkCo

A reflection on ‘Yes! Day’

http://www.naturalchild.org/guest/ginger_carlson.html

A variation on ‘Yes! Day’

http://community.today.com/parentingteam/post/yes-day-1447880196

The Wise Parent Wise Kid Summer Series conversation: Geocaching

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The Wise Parent Wise Kid Summer Series conversation: Geocaching

We had the fun pleasure of connecting and chatting with these two. A nurse practitioner and her daughter, a 2-grade teacher, who love to go geocaching. It is a great low – no cost way to get outside, explore your local area or a new area and discover treasure!

Geocaching actually is the ‘21^st century’ treasure hunting experience based on Letter-boxing, a tried and true and ‘very un-techy’ activity created in 1854 in England!

MH: Hi I’m Maureen Havrilla

FTF: Share a few fun facts about yourself so we can get to know you:

MH:  Wife, Mother, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Runner.  I love to travel and camp, and love all things Disney.

Passion:  Kids!

Favorite Foods: Food! And chocolate – it’s a food group! And coffee.  And chocolate and coffee together

Favorite thing to do to take a break: read, take a run, crochet – and always travel!

Favorite Quote/ Quip: “Venture outside your comfort zone.  The rewards are worth it.” -Rapunzel, Tangled

I am most proud of: my kids, they have become fabulous adults

I wish I could: travel more!

CH: And I am Casey Havrilla

FTF: Share a few fun facts about yourself so we can get to know you:

CH: I am a teacher of second graders, a Native Texan, and a huge hockey fan.

Passion:  Teaching our future generation a love of learning.

Favorite Foods: baked potatoes, crème brulee, and anything that involves a caprese salad

Favorite thing to do to take a break: cooking/baking, reading

Favorite Quote/ Quip: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.  -Wayne Gretzy

I am most proud of: all of my students

I wish I could: multitask and be in more than one place at the same time

FTF: What is GEOCACHING?

Casey and Maureen: a real world treasure hunt! It’s a great way to get out with your family and friends and experience something new.  It’s the thrill of the hunt and the feeling of excitement when you find the cache – big or small!

FTF: How did you get started:

Casey: My best friend got me started

Maureen: Casey! And I have since shared with cousins and friends!

FTF: How can a family get started with geocaching?

Casey: Download a Geocache app, I use the official Geocaching app. I can get badges for collecting different states.

Maureen: I have a different app, but they all show about the same thing. Mine was free, but some have small charges.   

FTF: What are some of your best tips for geocaching for families?

Casey: Don’t give up, keep looking.

Maureen: whenever you travel, look for available caches – makes traveling interesting and fun

FTF: What is a good age to start geocaching?

Casey: if they can walk and talk independently, they should be able to understand with a parent’s help.

Maureen: I have shared with two friends with kids, one had a 9 year old daughter who loved it, and one had a three boys, the oldest two were 4 and 8 and they had fun.  Walking is a big part, so at least able to hike a little.

FTF: So far, what has been your ‘favorite find’?

Casey: The one in Central Park

Maureen: The one we have yet to find at Inks Lake – still looking!

FTF: Have you found any caches outside of Texas:

Casey and Maureen: Yes! That is what makes it fun, we check where ever we travel, even on the way to the grocery store!

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Fun Facts: where did Geocaching come from?

Letter Boxing– 1854 UK

Geocaching—2000, OR

ConQuest–2004, B.U.G: use your camera phone to capture code hidden around your city

Plundr– 2007, Dartmouth College dorm room, WIFI hotspots are contested islands to ‘capture’

Pokémon GO!–2016, Nintendo: Hunt and collect

FAST FACTS:

Geocaching was started in May of 2000. It started in Beaverton OR.

As GPS became more accessible and and accurate for everyone the process adapted from Letter boxing was started

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching

How to start Geocaching:

You need to set up a user account on a

geocaching website. A good site to use is www.geocaching.com

What do you pack?

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2013/02/here-are-9-geocaching-tools-what-else-should-you-pack

Today’ Resources:

A video:

https://www.geocaching.com/play

http://familysponge.com/play/family-adventures/geocaching-with-kids

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-12/long-before-pokemon-go-there-was-geocaching

Do This To Inspire a Love of Reading in Your Kids!

As part of the continuing “Wise Parents, Wise Kids” Summer Series, I enjoyed learning about the many new ways families can plug into today's public libraries.  My guest Rachael Barrera, Children’s Librarian at the Brook Hollow Public Library in San Antonio, Texas and a fellow parent.

I've got to tell you, the video conversation is really fun and inspirational!  You can see that by going here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLaHYT-H9Q

If you'd rather read, here are some highlights:

Fine-Tuned Families: What are some things a family can do at the library these days?

Response:  The library offers a number of programs for children of all ages and their families.  Play and Learn programs are for children 5 and under to interact with their caregiver. We have five early literacy practices: Reading, Talking, Singing, Writing, and Playing.  Little Read Wagon, our Early Literacy Team, offers these programs around the city all year long.  Story Times for Preschoolers, Baby Time, and Toddler Time suit every age of early childhood and support development.  Tween Time in libraries support the child who is 9-12 years, a group that often gets overlooked in libraries.  Kids Time also supports the learning and literacy of school age children. Discovery Time encourages learning early math and science skills. Summer Reading Programs encourage the love of independent reading at home.

FTF:  How can these great offerings help parents foster a love of reading in their kids?

Response:  Libraries of today create a joyful connection between the child, reading and learning.  Examples are neat art projects, group reading programs, individual reading challenges, and family activities.  Whatever brings joy to that particular child helps him or her love reading and learning.

FTF:  What are some of your best tips for parents of different-aged readers?

Response:  WORD!  The more words your child hears before kindergarten the greater his future academic success. Let your child pick the books he or she wants to read. Don’t get hung up on “reading level” (unless working toward closing an educational gap.)  When a child likes the stuff she reads, the more she will read, the more she comprehends what she reads, the easier it becomes to read, and so on. Don’t give up picture books too soon, they actually help a child’s comprehension like chapter books can’t. That firm foundation will help in years to come. For older tweens and teens, access to a free, vast supply of books is a gift and inspires more “book time” and less “screen time”.

Resources:

www.Mysapl.org – The main website for the San Antonio Public Library system.

www.Mysapl.org/location.aspx?id=bro - The Brook Hollow Library’s location and phone numbers.

 

http://www.guysread.com/   - A great example of one of many online sources to encourage a love of reading in our kids.

Let's Squeeze the Most Out of Our Summer!

August is here.  Where did the summer go? Don't panic! Most of us still have many more days before the kids return to school.

How can we carve out more enjoyment from that time? Grab a cool snack and call a family brainstorming meeting. Invite each person to share an idea or two he or she would still like to do in the days ahead . Discuss and jot down the best ideas and post them somewhere visible. As you do each one, be sure to check them off and see what else remains.

Towards the end of that meeting, you might also mention a few things you'd love to get done. The kids have probably outgrown clothes and may be ready to let go of some toys. Purging and reorganizing those items will get their rooms in better shape. Are there other projects inside the house or out in the yard you'd like to do?

Kids like to have a say in planning family fun. They appreciate having everyone listen to their ideas. Kids also like to know what family projects are coming up. Having a few days notice gives any "reluctant" helpers time to adjust to the idea of contributing.

Easy Ways to Make Fitness Fun for Your Kids!

As we spend more and more time plugged in and settled on the couch, it’s increasingly important that we make fitness a fun activity for kids. When children learn from your example, they will lead more active lifestyles and set themselves up for a lifetime of cardiovascular health. Here are some ways to make fitness fun for kids:

Games

What kinds of games do you like to play? Get the family together in the backyard for a game to get your family up and moving in a fun way. Here are some ideas for types of games:

• Backyard games: While the barbecue is heating up, this is a good time to get the family active in a backyard game of croquet, ring or beanie bag toss, or bocce ball. All are easy, old-fashioned fun that can be enjoyed by every member of the family.
• Running games: Whether you have a few kids over after school or a whole birthday party full of energetic kids, they’ll enjoy playing running games such as tag, spider, red rover, freeze-tag, or even kick the can.
• Basketball / driveway games and activities: Younger kids might enjoy hopscotch, jumping rope, riding a big wheel or whirling in a hula hoop. An energetic eight-year-old could love jumping up and down on a pogo stick or trying her hand at walking on stilts. Your older daredevil might enjoy riding a scooter or a skateboard, or possibly burning a few hundred calories per hour roller blading. Older kids might enjoy four square, basketball, and related games such as PIG or HORSE.
• Ball games: Toss a baseball or football, play volleyball, tetherball, or play bocce ball.
•  What about a family Olympics? You could set up categories and prizes – winner can choose who empties the dishwasher next week, or winner gets breakfast in bed.

Playing a game together outside as a family is a great way to encourage children to exercise. Kids have fun, burn calories and bond with family members, all at the same time.

GREAT NEWS! I have a powerful tip sheet that I’d love to share with you that includes more information on encouraging family fitness.

Develop healthier fitness habits in your family by emailing me at janet@finetunedfamilies.com and enter the phrase “family fitness.”

Summer Vacations Rock!

I hope your summer is off to a great start. We just returned from a wonderful family vacation in Galveston, Texas. This was definitely low-key and just what my family needed to restore ourselves and reconnect. This past school year was soooo busy with three teens in three different schools and involved in various activities.

We tried something new this year. My family traded houses with one of my husband's brothers and his wife. They spent time traveling in the beautiful Hill Country area of Texas. We got to enjoy time at the beach, fishing and just hanging out.

We also enjoyed the added advantage of a low-cost vacation away from home. Before leaving, we each made sure to thoroughly clean and straighten our homes. Each family also stocked the house with basic food and other staples. We exchanged keys and emergency contact numbers. And then we just relaxed and enjoyed the vacation!

Do you have a friend or family member who might like to trade houses? Your family could renew, reconnect AND enjoy an easy, low cost vacation.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

By Life Coach Janet Bonnin
Fine-Tuned Families

Pool parties, trips to the zoo, playing in the sprinkler, having friends over - the summer is in full swing! But the summer can fly by. In the blink of an eye, school will be here. How can you make sure everyone has done some favorite things before summer slips by? Have the family dream up a Summer Fun List! It is fun and easy to do.

Pre-planning: To build anticipation, tell every family member to think of some activities he or she would love to do and come ready to share. Have a family meeting: Fix some favorite snacks, grab some comfortable seats and start visiting.

Brainstorm away: Start the brainstorming! Have someone capture the ideas on paper as they come. Everyone gets to share! Be sure to post the list where all can see it and mark the items as you do them. This helps you keep the fun coming and reminds the kids of the great things they are doing.

Add or improve habits: While everyone is gathered, this is also a great time to mention a few new habits for each kid to work on. Short and simple is best. Last year, for example, I set four goals for my older sons – regular exercise, eat more fruits and veggies, use your good manners, and express gratitude. With the summer weeks to work on it, we had some better habits to take back to school!

Summer fun can be really simple. My sons usually want a fair amount of time to hang out, play games, read, and play electronics. They also enjoy inviting friends over and swimming in the lake near our house. This unstructured time is important for kids to help them relax from the rigors of the school year and to discover and pursue new interests and hobbies.

Along with the simpler pleasures, we love taking day trips into San Antonio. When the boys were younger, we visited the zoo and the children's museum. As they grew, we graduated to trips to the movies, art, history and science museums, local theme parks and other attractions.

Add in a family vacation or two, a camp or two, and you've got the recipe for a great summer! Don’t worry about having too much on your list! Your Summer Fun List may be extensive. Rotate through everyone's favorite ideas to keep anyone from feeling left out. It's okay to end the summer with items still on the list. That leaves ideas for the months ahead.

Our family started the tradition of the Summer Fun List several years ago. The boys look forward to planning the summer together. We've enjoyed great family fun every year since. Why not start your tradition today!

Janet Bonnin is a life coach, Industrial Engineer and mother of three. She works with busy parents to strengthen family teamwork, parent more effectively, de-stress, and get more done with less effort at work and at home.