There are just 3 days left until school’s out for the Summer.
For the last couple of years, since my eldest started school, I’ve promised myself I’ll schedule the holidays to ensure that we make the best use of the time.
Guess what? I never have.
“Time is the most valuable thing that a man can spend.” ― Diogenes Laërtius
I’ve been thinking a lot about waste lately. Yes, I always think about food waste and packaging waste, but now I’m thinking more about how I’m using my time. Time indeed is the most valuable thing. And as I get older it is becoming more valuable to me.
I was reading a blog the other day and someone mentioned they had just 7 summers left with their child before they became independent. Having it quantified like that made me think now is the time to get organised.
“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” -Benjamin Franklin
This doesn’t mean that I am packing a schedule fit to burst. No rather I’m prioritising. What do the Kids and I really want to do this summer? And how, with a little bit of planning, can I achieve this?
Here’s how…
It all starts with a blank piece of paper. No fancy app or diary needed to get organised.
So, what is going on the planner?
1. A few days away – We normally go to France in August but not this year. We’re staying in the UK. A cheap and cheerful one this year!
2. Organised play-dates – This summer I have spoken in advance to a few Mom’s and asked what days would be good for them for their children to come and play. Hopefully this will also help them out with planning their summer child-care for those that need cover.
3. Activity days – One day a week we will have a very specific activity day. This may be when friends are over, or not, it will depend. These days will be cake-making and decorating, a craft/art day, a photography walk, an adventure/treasure walk and a teddy bears picnic. These activities don’t really cost anything, but require planning on my part.
4. There are birthday parties for the Kids to attend and also a few family birthdays during the holidays where we will be getting together. I’ll be cake making and decorating on certain days, and these need scheduling in. These are the days that the Kids will visit grandparents.
5. Swimming lessons once a week. Lessons don’t stop during the hols. Neither does dance class or the weekly roller-skating session. I plan on taking the Kids swimming myself once a week also for a fun-swim.
6. Saturday night is cinema night (on the sofa with popcorn) regardless of the time of year.
There are other things that I’d like to ensure we cover.
Although school’s out, there are a few educational things that I’d like to spend time on. However, I don’t want to set unrealistic targets. My 7-year-old will be practicing her 12 times-tables and the curriculum key-words for the upcoming academic year. It’d be lovely if she could also learn to tie her shoelaces, and put her own hair in a ponytail. My 4-year-old will be concentrating on writing his name and counting to 20. No ponytail practice required for him!
I’ve purchased a few maths workbooks (very reasonably of course! I love Home Bargains!) and plan to spend an hour once a week going through them.
Finally this year we will all be participating in a Summer Reading Challenge. I’m scheduling in a weekly visit to the local library for the Kids, so this fits very nicely. They’ll be reading a book a week. But it made me think. I’d like to do that.
My summer reading list so far:
Week 1 – The Host by Stephenie Meyer.
Week 2 – Enjoy Every Sandwich by Lee Lipsenthal
I’m looking for suggestions on what else to read… Any ideas? There’s another 4 weeks to cover!
I’ll be posting more about our Summer activities and plans (there’s much more planned than what’s outlined above).
I’d love to hear about what you will be up to. I’m always looking for new ideas to have some fun, whilst learning and not spending a fortune! Please share…
p.s – something I hope I won’t be doing this summer is hearing myself say to the Kids ‘we can’t do that because… I have the bedding to wash, the floor to mop, the lounge to clean….’ I’ve planned for a while to schedule chores and the summer sounds like a great time to start. But more on that in a future post.
Sounds similar to my plans! I too have a 7 year old daughter who needs to learn to tie her shoelaces! Might get her started on the ponytail as well, if she gets good at it she could also do her younger sister’s! We will be having some picnics and spending time in local parks and playgrounds, though that is weather dependent. Also plenty of junk modelling!
Junk modelling here too, especially with the awful weather we have been having…however the word on the street is the jet-stream has moved up (whatever that means!)?!?!? The ponytail class has been born out of my 7-year-old realising she has swim at school in Year 3, and is concerned about her swim-cap and doing her hair afterward!
Have a great summer Rebecca, and good luck with keeping your 3 nice and busy!
Sounds similar to my plans! I too have a 7 year old daughter who needs to learn to tie her shoelaces! Might get her started on the ponytail as well, if she gets good at it she could also do her younger sister’s! We will be having some picnics and spending time in local parks and playgrounds, though that is weather dependent. Also plenty of junk modelling!
Junk modelling here too, especially with the awful weather we have been having…however the word on the street is the jet-stream has moved up (whatever that means!)?!?!? The ponytail class has been born out of my 7-year-old realising she has swim at school in Year 3, and is concerned about her swim-cap and doing her hair afterward!
Have a great summer Rebecca, and good luck with keeping your 3 nice and busy!
Great post! I will be more organized this summer holiday! One of our plans is to visit a different country park each week. Our children will be taking part in the Summer reading challenge too. It’ll be the first time our eldest won’t be signing up with the library (he’s 14 next week) but he’s joining in at home too. Have you read either Sleepyhead – Mark Billingham or The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins? Both very good books, if you’re interested in the Mark Billingham book I have a copy I could pass on to you.
Thanks Emma. This is the first year we’ll be participating in the challenge and looking forward to it. The Hunger Games has come very highly recommended from a friend and that really should go on the list, shouldn’t it? I’ve never heard of Sleepyhead (hang on…just off to Google…). His name rings a bell hmmm? I was a massive horror fiction fan in my teens, and moved on to true-crime later on – wanting to study Criminology at Uni (but not getting the grades oops!). The book looks very good – I would love a hand-me-down. But how about a swap? Drop me a mail please?
Great post! I will be more organized this summer holiday! One of our plans is to visit a different country park each week. Our children will be taking part in the Summer reading challenge too. It’ll be the first time our eldest won’t be signing up with the library (he’s 14 next week) but he’s joining in at home too. Have you read either Sleepyhead – Mark Billingham or The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins? Both very good books, if you’re interested in the Mark Billingham book I have a copy I could pass on to you.
Thanks Emma. This is the first year we’ll be participating in the challenge and looking forward to it. The Hunger Games has come very highly recommended from a friend and that really should go on the list, shouldn’t it? I’ve never heard of Sleepyhead (hang on…just off to Google…). His name rings a bell hmmm? I was a massive horror fiction fan in my teens, and moved on to true-crime later on – wanting to study Criminology at Uni (but not getting the grades oops!). The book looks very good – I would love a hand-me-down. But how about a swap? Drop me a mail please?
This sounds organized enough to actually be relaxing 🙂 Have you read Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman? Lots of food for thought there!
I was going to Link her to your recent post! isn’t that funny!
Just taken a look at the book – looks interesting. Particularly as I am a fan of the french way of life in general. What I love about France (or what I have been exposed to anyway) is the emphasis on personal responsibility. It’s not everyone else’s fault – which I believe is a culture the UK is moving toward. We’ve had many a holiday in France, and two things stand out for me. The day we cycled to a lake and there was no-one around. There were 2 boats tied to the shore (no warning signs), and both looked totally un-sea-worthy! It was a case of take your chances if you want to. Of course we didn’t. Secondly at a pool last year there was a very simple sign about safety finished off with ‘Show your children a good example’ (paraphrased). Love it!
The book is going on the list!
I’d love to hear your thoughts after you’ve read it!
This sounds organized enough to actually be relaxing 🙂 Have you read Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman? Lots of food for thought there!
I was going to Link her to your recent post! isn’t that funny!
Just taken a look at the book – looks interesting. Particularly as I am a fan of the french way of life in general. What I love about France (or what I have been exposed to anyway) is the emphasis on personal responsibility. It’s not everyone else’s fault – which I believe is a culture the UK is moving toward. We’ve had many a holiday in France, and two things stand out for me. The day we cycled to a lake and there was no-one around. There were 2 boats tied to the shore (no warning signs), and both looked totally un-sea-worthy! It was a case of take your chances if you want to. Of course we didn’t. Secondly at a pool last year there was a very simple sign about safety finished off with ‘Show your children a good example’ (paraphrased). Love it!
The book is going on the list!
I’d love to hear your thoughts after you’ve read it!
Hi Jo,
This comes as perfect timing for me in the US, as school has been out for a month now. And I need a reminder to keep the momentum going. Don’t want to fall into the pattern of days just drifting by without us doing much of anything (although some down time is good, I just want to make as many memories as I can).
For us, we do as many summer-y things as we can — go to the beach and collect shells and sea glass, spend afternoons at the farmer’s market, swimming, cook-outs around the fire bowl (even now, my kids love roasting hot dogs on a stick), a few day trips around the area — pretending to be tourists in our own city, dinner and lunch on the deck, and one very frugal, local mini-vacation. And of course, reading as often as we can (lazy summer afternoons under a tree with a good book!)
We also get appointments out of the way early in the summer, so there’s a wide open feeling to the rest of summer. Yesterday was the dentist. Two weeks ago the orthodontist.
Hope you have a lot of fun with your summer!
Sounds like heaven Lili, I can picture being there. You are very lucky (or very clever?) to live by the coast. I would love to. One of my Kids fave activities is colouring in shells.
Down time is good, my plan is to spend Mondays as a ‘down day’ where possible.
Sounds like you get good weather where you are. I hate to moan, as that’s all I seem to have done this year. But the UK is a wash-out. It started in March and hasn’t stopped. It’s getting tedious! So much of our activities need to be non-weather-dependent! Have a great summer!
Hi Jo,
This comes as perfect timing for me in the US, as school has been out for a month now. And I need a reminder to keep the momentum going. Don’t want to fall into the pattern of days just drifting by without us doing much of anything (although some down time is good, I just want to make as many memories as I can).
For us, we do as many summer-y things as we can — go to the beach and collect shells and sea glass, spend afternoons at the farmer’s market, swimming, cook-outs around the fire bowl (even now, my kids love roasting hot dogs on a stick), a few day trips around the area — pretending to be tourists in our own city, dinner and lunch on the deck, and one very frugal, local mini-vacation. And of course, reading as often as we can (lazy summer afternoons under a tree with a good book!)
We also get appointments out of the way early in the summer, so there’s a wide open feeling to the rest of summer. Yesterday was the dentist. Two weeks ago the orthodontist.
Hope you have a lot of fun with your summer!
Sounds like heaven Lili, I can picture being there. You are very lucky (or very clever?) to live by the coast. I would love to. One of my Kids fave activities is colouring in shells.
Down time is good, my plan is to spend Mondays as a ‘down day’ where possible.
Sounds like you get good weather where you are. I hate to moan, as that’s all I seem to have done this year. But the UK is a wash-out. It started in March and hasn’t stopped. It’s getting tedious! So much of our activities need to be non-weather-dependent! Have a great summer!
Sounds like a good plan, Jo. When our kids were younger, they used to have a lot of things they wanted to do, so in order to make sure we did the things that were most important to them, I’d ask them at the beginning of the summer what their first, second and third choice of things to do were. It made them prioritize their choices, and helped me know what really mattered to them. It was sometimes surprising what was at the top of the list.
After reading your comment last night Jo, I asked the Kids what they’d like to do this holiday.
The answers were:
1. Go on the longest bike ride in the world
2. Bake a cake
3. Buy a dog
I can almost manage the first, it may not be the longest but a bike ride I can muster up. Second – no problem. Third – not a chance. I’m a dog-lover but know we aren’t in a position currently to manage a pet! (apart from our outside fish)…
Oh, they’re quick with the answers aren’t they! But no one ever said they’d get ALL their wishes 🙂
Sounds like a good plan, Jo. When our kids were younger, they used to have a lot of things they wanted to do, so in order to make sure we did the things that were most important to them, I’d ask them at the beginning of the summer what their first, second and third choice of things to do were. It made them prioritize their choices, and helped me know what really mattered to them. It was sometimes surprising what was at the top of the list.
After reading your comment last night Jo, I asked the Kids what they’d like to do this holiday.
The answers were:
1. Go on the longest bike ride in the world
2. Bake a cake
3. Buy a dog
I can almost manage the first, it may not be the longest but a bike ride I can muster up. Second – no problem. Third – not a chance. I’m a dog-lover but know we aren’t in a position currently to manage a pet! (apart from our outside fish)…
Oh, they’re quick with the answers aren’t they! But no one ever said they’d get ALL their wishes 🙂
I’ve had the same idea Jo, I’m off for the first three weeks so plan on maximising my time. We have planned some boys days and girls days. Hubs will be taking the boys golfing and me and my daughter will have a spa day, and she has asked if she could get her nails done ‘in the salon’ so we will do that. All the usual holiday stuff such as cake baking, library, park and visiting family that don’t live so close has also been scheduled in. Uniform shopping and shoe fitting will also have to be done before i go back, phew!! Worn out just thinking about it! We have also gone vegetarian so having time will able me to try out a few recipes.
As for book suggestions, to Mr Grey or not?! Got to say i read the first one out of curiosity, but i was not impressed, but my friends loved it. The kite runner, and the land of a thousand suns by the same author Khalid Houssini (?) are great reads and i’ve just finished on kindle a book by a blogger, the daily connisuer, about how the french manage to stay so chic!
TTFN
Sharron x
As organised as ever Sharron! Way to go! You’ll have to let me know how the vegetarianism goes? Before trying it out myself I thought I could do it no problem. I couldn’t! Good luck!
Oh yes…Mr Grey…
I read Book 1 because EVERYONE was raving on about it. I couldn’t go anywhere without overhearing a conversation about the ‘must-read’ book. I too was not impressed. As I’ve downloaded the trilogy I started Book 2, but don’t think I’m going to carry on reading.
I’ve heard of the kite-runner, so may have to check that one out! As for the french book, hmmmm? As I mentioned above I love a bit of french-life…so again need to take a look!
Have a great summer hols Sharron!
I just finished The Kite Runner and found it one of the better books I’ve read recently. I think it all depends on what type of book you like personally, though. (One way I find books similar to what I like is to go on Amazon and type in a book I’ve enjoyed; then it will come up with other books bought by people who have bought the one you read. But you probably already know that :))
Good idea Jo.H…. see what Amazon recommends!
The vegetarianism is actually going okay at the minute, surprised that i’m not missing meat as much. The kids havn’t gone totally veggie (their choice) and as they don’t really like red meat they will continue to eat chicken and turkey. But i have totally elminated packaged meat from their diets (sodium nitrate), but it is early days yet, so we shall see!!
Meant to mention this in my other post but another good time filler is to have a sort of photographs, and a good reminice while your there. We do this every summer hols, when it’s raining (when is it NOT!?) and the kids love it, this year we are going to get more into albums!!
Love Sharron x
Sharron – the photo idea is fab. Leah’s at an age now where she’s doing things I did, and I keep saying I’ll show her the photos. I have a load not yet catalogued. Fab idea!
I’ve had the same idea Jo, I’m off for the first three weeks so plan on maximising my time. We have planned some boys days and girls days. Hubs will be taking the boys golfing and me and my daughter will have a spa day, and she has asked if she could get her nails done ‘in the salon’ so we will do that. All the usual holiday stuff such as cake baking, library, park and visiting family that don’t live so close has also been scheduled in. Uniform shopping and shoe fitting will also have to be done before i go back, phew!! Worn out just thinking about it! We have also gone vegetarian so having time will able me to try out a few recipes.
As for book suggestions, to Mr Grey or not?! Got to say i read the first one out of curiosity, but i was not impressed, but my friends loved it. The kite runner, and the land of a thousand suns by the same author Khalid Houssini (?) are great reads and i’ve just finished on kindle a book by a blogger, the daily connisuer, about how the french manage to stay so chic!
TTFN
Sharron x
As organised as ever Sharron! Way to go! You’ll have to let me know how the vegetarianism goes? Before trying it out myself I thought I could do it no problem. I couldn’t! Good luck!
Oh yes…Mr Grey…
I read Book 1 because EVERYONE was raving on about it. I couldn’t go anywhere without overhearing a conversation about the ‘must-read’ book. I too was not impressed. As I’ve downloaded the trilogy I started Book 2, but don’t think I’m going to carry on reading.
I’ve heard of the kite-runner, so may have to check that one out! As for the french book, hmmmm? As I mentioned above I love a bit of french-life…so again need to take a look!
Have a great summer hols Sharron!
I just finished The Kite Runner and found it one of the better books I’ve read recently. I think it all depends on what type of book you like personally, though. (One way I find books similar to what I like is to go on Amazon and type in a book I’ve enjoyed; then it will come up with other books bought by people who have bought the one you read. But you probably already know that :))
Good idea Jo.H…. see what Amazon recommends!
The vegetarianism is actually going okay at the minute, surprised that i’m not missing meat as much. The kids havn’t gone totally veggie (their choice) and as they don’t really like red meat they will continue to eat chicken and turkey. But i have totally elminated packaged meat from their diets (sodium nitrate), but it is early days yet, so we shall see!!
Meant to mention this in my other post but another good time filler is to have a sort of photographs, and a good reminice while your there. We do this every summer hols, when it’s raining (when is it NOT!?) and the kids love it, this year we are going to get more into albums!!
Love Sharron x
Sharron – the photo idea is fab. Leah’s at an age now where she’s doing things I did, and I keep saying I’ll show her the photos. I have a load not yet catalogued. Fab idea!
Wow, you’re a great mum to think of all this! My mum only really thought of what she had to get done! And in Australia, Christmas gets in the way (I mean, it takes over some of the time…) And then late Jan is ‘back to school time’ which is all the prep work (which I really remember!). Lucky kids
Thanks Sarah. There will be boring adult stuff to do, but hopefully I’ll find a good balance so that it all gets done and we can have fun!
Wow, you’re a great mum to think of all this! My mum only really thought of what she had to get done! And in Australia, Christmas gets in the way (I mean, it takes over some of the time…) And then late Jan is ‘back to school time’ which is all the prep work (which I really remember!). Lucky kids
Thanks Sarah. There will be boring adult stuff to do, but hopefully I’ll find a good balance so that it all gets done and we can have fun!
I love that you are planning your summer holidays! Because hubby is a teacher too we are both home over December/January and that is usually when we do jobs round the house. The last two summers we have stripped wallpaper, painted rooms and got done some major work ripping out a broken fireplace in our lounge, then re-gibing and painting. We did do some fun stuff for the kids: a trip out to their favourite waterfall, a day trip up north to Mangawhai heads (Sand dunes and surf beach 3 hours north of Auckland), but by the time Christmas is out of the way, our summer holidays are half over! It is easy for those weeks of holiday to drag and to just spend time blobbing around home, so I love that you are planning to do something a bit more structured and exciting 🙂 I will have to wait 5 months before I get to try it out!!!
As for book suggestions, I just read a great non-fiction book called Radio Head by John Osborne about his decision to listen to a different radio station every day. Very light-hearted and delightfully written. Got me hooked on the Radcliffe and Maconie podcast too…we don’t have the same radio choices here that you do in Britain!
With most holidays there are jobs to do, It’s finding that balance. Hopefully as long as there is something fun to do each day, when I do have to do the necessary, the Kids will be happy to occupy themselves. After all they do have each other!
NZ life sounds lovely. I love reading about what others get up to, I can just imagine the waterfall.
Radcliffe and Maconie eh? Very British radio! Our BBC service (IMO) is great. Both radio and TV. Much better than the commercial options. However I must say that my very favourite radio programme was over in Vancouver. Waking up each morning listening to their relaxed tones looking out at mountains was pure heaven. (Thinking I need to emigrate!?!)
Gosh it does sound heavenly! I’ve never been to Vancouver, but it’s on my ‘list of places I must go’. I am terribly envious of the BBC though…
Go… it’s amazing! I won an ‘international beer drinking contest’ there is 2004. Miss Japan shook my hand! 😉
I love that you are planning your summer holidays! Because hubby is a teacher too we are both home over December/January and that is usually when we do jobs round the house. The last two summers we have stripped wallpaper, painted rooms and got done some major work ripping out a broken fireplace in our lounge, then re-gibing and painting. We did do some fun stuff for the kids: a trip out to their favourite waterfall, a day trip up north to Mangawhai heads (Sand dunes and surf beach 3 hours north of Auckland), but by the time Christmas is out of the way, our summer holidays are half over! It is easy for those weeks of holiday to drag and to just spend time blobbing around home, so I love that you are planning to do something a bit more structured and exciting 🙂 I will have to wait 5 months before I get to try it out!!!
As for book suggestions, I just read a great non-fiction book called Radio Head by John Osborne about his decision to listen to a different radio station every day. Very light-hearted and delightfully written. Got me hooked on the Radcliffe and Maconie podcast too…we don’t have the same radio choices here that you do in Britain!
With most holidays there are jobs to do, It’s finding that balance. Hopefully as long as there is something fun to do each day, when I do have to do the necessary, the Kids will be happy to occupy themselves. After all they do have each other!
NZ life sounds lovely. I love reading about what others get up to, I can just imagine the waterfall.
Radcliffe and Maconie eh? Very British radio! Our BBC service (IMO) is great. Both radio and TV. Much better than the commercial options. However I must say that my very favourite radio programme was over in Vancouver. Waking up each morning listening to their relaxed tones looking out at mountains was pure heaven. (Thinking I need to emigrate!?!)
Gosh it does sound heavenly! I’ve never been to Vancouver, but it’s on my ‘list of places I must go’. I am terribly envious of the BBC though…
Go… it’s amazing! I won an ‘international beer drinking contest’ there is 2004. Miss Japan shook my hand! 😉
After reading over the comments, I have a question. Several of you plan to bake cakes this summer. Is baking a cake a generic term, or do you just prefer cakes over cookies?
Sounds like a good summer.
In my parts, cake making is just that. I would describe cookie making as ‘making biscuits’. No real preference, my kids just like licking the bowl after cake making 🙂
Sharron
‘Bake a cake’ is kind of a general term here at Chez Wright. It means get cooking really!
My Kids just like licking the bowl also!
When I make brownies, my girls ask if they can help. This is code for “can I like the spoon?”
After reading over the comments, I have a question. Several of you plan to bake cakes this summer. Is baking a cake a generic term, or do you just prefer cakes over cookies?
Sounds like a good summer.
In my parts, cake making is just that. I would describe cookie making as ‘making biscuits’. No real preference, my kids just like licking the bowl after cake making 🙂
Sharron
‘Bake a cake’ is kind of a general term here at Chez Wright. It means get cooking really!
My Kids just like licking the bowl also!
When I make brownies, my girls ask if they can help. This is code for “can I like the spoon?”
oops, typo — meant “lick the spoon”
🙂
oops, typo — meant “lick the spoon”
🙂
Yes the UK weather is meant to get much better from Sunday onwards, which will make a big difference to the summer holidays. My daughter is also about to go into year 3, and will be going swimming with school in September! She has been having swimming lessons on a Saturday for years (one of only two scheduled activities she does) but has never had to do her own hair afterwards, nor has she used a cap before, which I need to get over the holidays. She will be 8 in October so I feel she needs to start doing a few more things for herself now, the summer holidays is a good chance to spend time teaching the kids a few things they need to become more independent.
There’s so much to learn in life that you can’t be taught at school – such as ponytails! I don’t think I got the hang of it until I was an adult. The swimming cap seems to be an issue here. It’s the main concern about going into year 3! Hope all goes well over the Summer!
p.s – yeah, I saw a headline ‘Summer’s finally arrived’ on BBC weather last night. Let’s see eh?
Yes the UK weather is meant to get much better from Sunday onwards, which will make a big difference to the summer holidays. My daughter is also about to go into year 3, and will be going swimming with school in September! She has been having swimming lessons on a Saturday for years (one of only two scheduled activities she does) but has never had to do her own hair afterwards, nor has she used a cap before, which I need to get over the holidays. She will be 8 in October so I feel she needs to start doing a few more things for herself now, the summer holidays is a good chance to spend time teaching the kids a few things they need to become more independent.
There’s so much to learn in life that you can’t be taught at school – such as ponytails! I don’t think I got the hang of it until I was an adult. The swimming cap seems to be an issue here. It’s the main concern about going into year 3! Hope all goes well over the Summer!
p.s – yeah, I saw a headline ‘Summer’s finally arrived’ on BBC weather last night. Let’s see eh?