The Countdown to Summer: Set up a Realistic Routine that Actually Works

I'm 4 kids, 13 ducks and 1 dog deep. Summer is looming and it's time for a new plan. I've got 4 beautiful words for you: Must Do, May Do.

It really can be that simple. I've seen this method put to the test in the most rambunctious classrooms with great success. Setting up a realistic routine is key. I don't know anyone who follows those rigid summer schedules and still has much joy left over. I have mad respect for drill sergeants, but I don't want to be one. When you use the "Must Do, May Do" method all you have to say is, "Did you get your must do's done yet?".

"Must Do's" can be as basic as brushing teeth, but can also include chores like picking up, or reading for 20 minutes (or doing a LIFT OFF! to Literacy lesson 😉). Then the "May Do's" could include things like playing with a friend, screen time or a craft.

Get your FREE copy HERE.

The true beauty of this method is that every day can be different, or the same, but the simplicity is freeing (for you and your family).

The "Summer Slide" is no joke. Research shows that kids can lose up to 2 months of reading skills over the summer. Teachers spend at least 6 weeks just trying to catch their students up at the beginning of each school year. What if teachers could get those 6+ weeks back and start the year off running?

Well my friend, that is possible. As the old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Most experts agree that 15 minutes of practice a day can drastically reduce learning loss over the summer months. I don't know about you, but I can definitely find 15 minutes in my day that I could be more intentional about, especially if it's a "Must Do" on the list!

We created the Summer Slide Guide to help families see how easy it can be to prevent the summer slide. We went a step further... okay ... a lot of steps further ... and created our LIFT OFF! to Literacy Reading Program to make kicking the summer slide to the curb, easy peasy lemon squeezy! 🍋

If you'd like to get a copy of the Summer Slide Guide, click HERE to download!

If you're ready to go straight to the LIFT OFF! program, check it out HERE.

If you haven't heard, Erin and I are leaving our public school teaching positions at the end of this year. We only have a few more days of school left. I don't think we'll feel the gravity of the change until school starts again next year and we're not returning to our classrooms. Just typing that feels weird. Our personal families are needing more of us, and our reading family is growing. Both of those situations make our hearts happy and we're excited for the new position God has put us in. To bring this post full circle, we'll be using the Must Do/May Do method in our own homes this summer to make life a bit simpler.

Best of luck out there and see you back here next week!

Erin & Kally