EMBRACING FAMILY
It seems it was just the other day that we were eagerly anticipating the end of the school year and the coming of summer and all its adventures. Now we find ourselves on the cusp of a new school year, especially those with “year-round school” calendars. Where, oh where, did summer go?
As we seek to fulfill a few final summer dreams and adventures, we also need to start transitioning minds, hearts and schedules to set our children up for the most successful academic year possible. Discuss, pray and prepare for this transition now. Adjust the daily schedule several weeks in advance so they are getting up at school time a few weeks before school starts.
There are also a few good lessons to teach our children as we prepare for a new school year:
Money does not grow on trees
Let’s teach our children to be responsible stewards of the earth, of their belongings, and to reuse and repurpose supplies we already have. They can “shop” from the supplies we already have and only buy what is needed.
How often do we donate used items to others in need and then buy new ones for our own children? Why not reverse this? Have our children use what we have at home and donate some of the money we did not spend on brand new items to a local school supply drive so that a child in need can experience receiving new school supplies.
You can’t catch happiness
Our children are acutely aware that they can catch COVID and other illnesses. But have we ever thought about teaching them that they can’t “catch” happiness? It’s a choice. We need to choose to discover the good around us, to discover God, even amid difficulties and challenges.
Teach our children that they can choose to be happy every day. This will help them rise to the challenges they encounter in school when someone is not nice to them, when they don’t do as well as they had hoped on a test, when they don’t make the team, etc.
It takes more than attendance
Just because our children attend school does not mean that they should be entitled to awards (other than perfect attendance). Success takes work, effort, grit and commitment. Let’s teach them that when they don’t succeed, they can pray and try again. What a wonderful gift to learn to persevere in prayer and in daily life.
Rather than lamenting the close of summer and dreading the new academic year, let’s celebrate the close of summer and the start of a new school year!
As a family, practice choosing happiness each day by discovering God’s abundant blessings in our lives. How about sharing this over dinner? Who can count the most blessings?
Finally, let’s remember that we don’t win the prize because we showed up. Pray together as a family and redefine success as being committed. Success in God’s eyes is doing our best with the gifts and talents that he gave us while seeking to help others along the way.
Live simply. Love deeply. Work enthusiastically. Happy new (school) year!
Here is feedback from a reader in response to the column “Duped again by the annual summer illusion.”
“I’m so glad that I ‘re-framed’ summer before it began. We chose to have each child make a chart of new skills they would like to learn during the summer and volunteering activities they would like to do, and we planned activities accordingly. Before we knew it, they were wanting to learn each other’s new skills and we found ourselves constantly celebrating these accomplishments. I had a hard time keeping up with their desire to volunteer. What a blessing! It’ll be a summer we will never forget. Thanks for sharing the ideas.”
Questions? Please email Sarah and David at success@embracefamilylearning.com. We would be honored to lift you up in prayer and respond, as well!
