Countdown to summer - links I love (Monday!)

As we countdown to our first day of summer (Friday!), I am going to try and link you to a few of the summer posts that I have come across lately that have me thinking about our summer. So today:

Glennon posted this today on her blog...Momastery.  As the mom on our neighborhood street with pretty much the youngest kiddos I have my eye out there making sure Henry is playing safe.  I find that I am often shouting out reminders and safety tips and I know I need to step back and realize that Charley and Henry are pretty cautious and make good choices most of the time.  And  by speaking up all the time I am probably not giving them the opportunity to practice making independent choices.  And I am realizing now that I would like them to learn to make choices here, on our neighborhood street before they are out there in the real world without me peering out the kitchen window ready with band aids and a hug.  So my goal this summer is to let them be a little bit more, and not worry so much if they have an extra treat or enjoy a can of pop...because the other day when Henry had his first can...once he was in bed I went to pour out what was left...and it was ALL left.  The kid had probably one sip.  I might print this out and hang it by our front and back windows. 






Successful Summer Days....by The Finer Things in Life....great post giving some quick tips on having good days.  But the best part of this post is a link to a pdf file for a bingo board...actually you might have to go like her on her Facebook page to find the file.  Or email me and I can email it to you.  But it is a blank bingo board that you can fill in with boredom busters, chores, nature hikes, scavenger hunts at the zoo, bucket list items, at home quiet time choices, learning practice choices, etc.  I have printed off four this morning to start preparing  and had the boys go retrieve them from the printer and they came back hopping up and down wondering what they were for! 



In Praise of Boredom...A great reminder about not filling our summer with too much mama made entertainment or screen time...."But I know in my heart that kids need to spend a fair amount of time bored out of their skulls. They need to learn how to be alone and quiet because that’s when the brain really revs up. If videos and snack food are not filling your time, your imagination kicks in."