I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carson – Dellosa . I reviewed the free content on their website to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Summer. The season, not my name. It’s my least favorite of the four seasons. I’m quite a huge fan of autumn (which I rarely call fall because that just sounds like an accident waiting to happen). Winter is lovely where there are mountains to ski down. Spring is a twitterpated miracle of life and rebirth. Summer is a cesspool of tourists and heat advisories and bored kids who hang from my hems while I’m trying to write. Have you ever tried to write while your kids are swirling around you as though you’re a May Pole? It’s really about as enjoyable as swimming, bleeding, in a tank of hungry hammerheads, except in real life you’re more like the hammerhead and the kids are the bleeding swimmers, knowwhaddimean?
This isn’t fun, you guys. It’s not fun at all. I loathe summer.
I feel like I can actually see my children’s brains dumping information with each passing minute. This is not an uncommon complaint, and is, by all accounts, the one thing I miss most about year round school. I know I’m not alone in this, because based on a survey conducted by Carson-Dellosa , 84% of teachers say students forget or “lose” some skills, knowledge, or grade-level equivalency during the summer. That’s astounding. Unless your child is one of those weird mind-trap kids, you know what I’m talking about. I wish I could just put a bucket under Styles’ ear and catch all the information that pours out of his head all summer.
Something tells me the kids watching TV or YouTube videos on their tablets all day long really isn’t doing much for their summer brain dump, so I’ve been looking for ways to make their screen time fun and educational for a #SmarterSummer. The thing is, my teenager is smarter than I am, and I think he’s probably too cool for connect the dots or coloring pages, right? Right. Luckily, the Carson-Dellosa Summer Learning Activities website is designed to help your little buggers stay mentally sharp over the summer. Sign up is so simple that your pre-existing summer brain slump won’t affect it. You’ll find free and fun educational games, sample books, printable worksheets, and activities you can use all summer long to help put a stop to summer learning loss.
As soon as you sign up, you’ll have something to literally hand your kids every time they whine about being bored. Now you’ll just have to make sure your printer doesn’t run out of ink. Now that we’re talking about it, you better run to the office supply store and stock up on printer ink right now.
I’m mostly worried about Styles losing all of his math knowledge – I’m sorry, I’m trying not to laugh right now. By math knowledge, I mean the knowledge he supposedly gained in math this year, while maintaining a C average. I can’t believe I admitted that out loud. Honestly, that is really one more reason to be concerned. He’s going to high school this year, and middle school was such a struggle that I’m afraid for what’s going to happen in 9th grade. Other parents keep telling me it’s going to be OK, but I’m not so sure, which is why I’m basically paying Styles to get some work done every day to counteract the summer brain dump.
Wait, did you say paying him?
Yes, I said paying him. Listen, I don’t know what motivates your kids, but mine are motivated by money. The more money they have burning holes in their pockets, the better. If I have to keep a chart for my almost-high schooler keeping track of the minutes he spends learning during the summer, I’ll keep a chart for my almost-high schooler keeping track of the minutes he spends learning during the summer, ya’ dig? Fifteen minutes a day works wonders to combat the summer dumbdumbs, but I’m generally overjoyed with 30 minutes or more.
It’s not a whole lot of money, but it’s enough. He gets $10 a week to help out around the house and activate his brain juice. I figure if I don’t teach him good work ethic, who will?
Now if only I could motivate him to actually do a good job on the dishes, I’d be happy.
Connect with Carson-Dellosa on Facebook and Twitter to keep up on the happenings this summer.
Single Mother Ahoy says
Hi Summer, I found your blog through your Periscope videos – hello from the UK! I have to say I love the Summer season – but my daughter is only 3 and still in nursery. They don’t break up for Summer at all these days and only close for 2 weeks at Christmas. Plus, you know, at that age they’re still busy learning how to be people. My opinions may change when she gets older and has school holidays!
Summer says
HI there from the UK! Thank you for stopping by and reading as well as leaving a comment! SO happy to have you here! I work from home and it’s SO hard to have the kids here with me. They are SO good until I sit down to write, and that tends to be their cue for “Mom’s working, let’s try to punch holes in one another!” So much fun. 🙂 My daughter is gone this week and my boys are being so good, so it’s a bit of a welcome break. I hope to see you around these parts again soon! -Summer