Mom Reflections

I have four wonderfully energetic and creative kids. I teach part time all year and get to spend the summer at home with my kids, which I love.  Inevitably, though the first two weeks are a give and take of setting boundaries, redefining expectations, and the kids figuring out how to get along with each other all day. These are some of the things we try to stick to in order to make our summer days more enjoyable and agreeable. Chores must be done before fun, however fun can be interspersed with chores-dancing in the kitchen, squirting each other with the hose while gardening. What you take out,  you put away and when asked to help put away things that don't belong to you, you do it. Reading or I-pad learning games for 20 minutes in the morning before other technologies can be used. Everyone helps no matter what age. Our 5 and 7 year old are master kitchen cleaners. Our 12 year old mows the lawn, takes out the trash. Our 10 year old helps cook dinner, makes lunches, cleans bath