If your kids take a summer break, do you too?

[Momto6inIN]

I try to have the next year pretty well planned out by the end of May so I can take a break from school too. Just wondering how others do it and what pros and cons I might not have thought of :)

[lexi]

I’ ve done this some years. We usually do a few very light things over the summer and a lot of reading. But I’ve been trying to schedule more of a break - especially for me. I take time in the summer to read books for me and to do some self-education. I give the kids craft projects or let them play outside and I take some time off while the littlest one is napping. My kids know that for a little while in the afternoon they are not to bother Mom so I can have some relaxation time. I’ve enjoyed my summers where I focused on myself and on my self-education. I was so refreshed and ready to start another year. That being said, I still had a simple routine for our summer days and my kids did different educational things and a few independent workbooks so their brains didn’t totally fall out. Lol! But I have found that taking a few months to focus on other things was a great thing for us.  We also tried to do more art and science demonstrations, listen to different styles of music, practice math facts, and follow interest led learning in our book choices. I tried to fit in some things hat sometimes got pushed aside during the school year. But having things already planned and ready to go for the next year was amazing. I’m currently working on next year’s stuff right now so that by the end of May I don’t have to think about it until August. 

[HomeAgain]

Summer is my planning time. It's when I read over all the new manuals from beginning to end so I have a good idea of what we'll be doing and can make notes to add or subtract parts.  I know my tendency to peter out after the initial few weeks of school, so I do what I can to plan things through the winter when we hit the doldrums.  All supplies for crafts are organized so I just have to grab and go, same with science experiments/projects, etc. I really like the use of a 9 cube for this, one cubby for each month or unit, but just keeping things in order works for me, too. 
Summer's also my time to rejuvenate.  I read more about education and listen to podcasts and take the time to absorb what I've been reading/hearing.  It helps me go into the school year with a clearer outlook and better expectations.

I don't know how much that will happen this year.  The 8yo wants to continue a few subjects through summer, plus his usual summer activities, so we'll see.

[Momto6inIN]

I'm amazed at how much school you all are able to fit in during summer! Way to go! It's so interesting to see how other people do it ...

We are usually too busy with 4H, swimming lessons, gardening, and camping trips to even think about school. I know all those things are valuable educational experiences but the kids don't consider them school and would definitely revolt if I suggested any lessons :) The older kids all have jobs and I have to drive them hither and yon and summer is also when I try to spring clean the house which usually gets neglected during the school year.

I do like to do some self education over the summer, but not any actual planning, more big picture "professional development" type stuff. I'm hoping to read John Taylor Gatto's Underground History of American Education. Andrew Pudewa suggested it at the convention during one of his talks.

[Targhee]

I actually really enjoy spending the summer, when I have more time to contemplate, fleshing out plans for the fall.  I think I get motivated in the spring because there are several classes we outsource that open registration in the spring and fill up quickly.  But, I like revisit my goals, where my kids are at and their current needs, do some "professional development" and thoroughly preview any possible new curricula during the early summer, and then in July I try to hammer out details.  I guess that leaves 2 weeks in August "off."

[Jess4879]

It changes from year to year.  Sometimes we do review over the summer.  My oldest did some math one summer because she'd gotten a bit behind.  The kids always participate in some sort of summer reading program - this year we are making our own. By January/Feb I usually have planned out what I want to use/cover the following year and then I typically do my lesson planning during the summer.  Last year I had it all done by June and it was a big mistake for me.  By the time September rolled around I had sort of lost touch with our plans and the excitement had sort of waned.  I definitely do better if I dig into things slowly during the summer.  

[PeterPan]

I don't plan ahead more than about 3-4 weeks with my ds, and even then it's a basic framework, not written in a book. He has autism, so he is totally custom, trying to fit where he is. Even the idiot-proof stuff we have to roll with. Sometimes he just blows through stuff. And we school year round. Nope, no breaks. I guess you could say we're on break now. Our SLP and OT are both on maternity leave, so we're making a big language push and dropping some of the academics. We'll do that for 6-8 weeks and see what happens. Might be amazing. Right now he struggles to tell a basic narrative, so that's where we're trying to end up, just sort of the tedious, involved, go back and fill in some holes and kick butt and get this to work way.

[2_girls_mommy]

I just have to play each summer by ear. My kids are old enough now that most of their summer time is spent in volunteer jobs or away at camps or at day camps (depending on the child and the schedule,) so I spend those times driving them around and getting the house in order. I don't know if that is a break or now. 

Each summer I declutter the school areas and try to deep clean (what some people do for Spring Cleaning,) areas of the house. Usually if I can get an area in order I can keep it that way for the remainder of the school year. My towel cabinet used to be a mess. I finally organized it and got rid of old stuff, and it has stayed nice for two years. But after almost 20 years in one small house with three kids, there are plenty of areas that are constantly building up like that. So I pick some each summer to work on. I also set up school areas. Like I had two morning baskets this year, but they have stayed too full and gotten major messy during the year. We are always digging in them trying to find our items. So I know next year I want 3 morning baskets- one for each child labeled neatly and for them to keep their own morning things. I will actuall need to build a shelf over the desk for this as the desk where I currently keep them can only hold two. So I do things like that, plus house repairs and the like. We garden a little, so there is the watering and care for that daily.  I used to have time for long read alouds and summer unit studies and driving the kids to the pool each day. Now they do their summer learning and swimming at camps. I will only have the preschooler with me full time. So we will do some library storytimes, some pool and splash park days, but I am not planning any actual unit studies or anything. 

 

[Sneezyone]

I've been planning a great deal for my older's 8th grade year since only science, math and French will be outsourced. I've already got her schedules set through Thanksgiving for ELA, history and HomeEc. My younger is following the same basic plan as this year with the same materials (adding more intense writing assignments) so I won't have to do much planning for him. I won't prepare his weekly schedule sheets until early August but it shouldn't take me more than a couple of weeks to finish. I'm using my summer break to have a hysterectomy, YAY!  I'll need to have a few sedentary tasks saved up. That's one. I did plan a few scienc-y things for the kids to do independently over the summer, mostly project-based stuff to do on their own (kits, science challenge questions, etc). Our standing summer orders include a math refresher workbook (independent, usually a page or two/day), 60 min/day of free reading, 60 min./day outside, and NO SCREENS UNTIL 10a (we have VERY early risers among us). After that, they're free to be as loud as they please. I am not one of the early risers/morning people.

[SeaConquest]

We take off from Memorial Day to Labor Day -- 4 whole months. The kids go to summer camp all day, so I am free. It is glorious. Yes, they forget some stuff over the summer, but easily get back into the groove. Personally, I need the break. I would not be able to school year-round and preserve my sanity. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I usually spend most of a summer prepping, cleaning and working on projects that were put off during the school year. I do try to give myself two weeks of just nothing, though.  This summer is shaping up along that pattern. I'm estimating project time right now and penciling onto my calendar so that I don't overbook myself.