Kids out of school for the summer not only signals the beginning of slip-and-slide season and dripping popsicles, but the start of a sneaky brain-drain. Whether your children are taking a break from homeschooling or enjoying a 3-month vacation from traditional school, the looming threat is that up to TWO MONTHS of learning can be lost during this time of year.
YIKES!
So today I thought I’d share an easy idea for spelling practice and organizing with mom: MEAL PLANNING. When I first debuted my meal planner, I included suggestions for how you could bring your child into the kitchen with you to actually wash and chop and cook.
My approach today came to me while my son and I sat down to plan this week’s meals and I had him not only write it all out, but also DO THE PLANNING! We discussed each meal, of course, and I added the beans and broccoli to his suggestions of red meat and potatoes. {smile} Amidst all the planning he was forced to remember his phonics rules and when to drop those pesky “e’s” before adding -ing, etc. There were many words we sounded out together, and a few that called for a total re-write [to which he protested, "Mom, it's not time to edit yet!"]
But spelling wasn’t the only thing learned today. I think this exercise helped him to realize:
- …how much planning goes into being the family chef
- …that there are several components to consider, not simply deciding on a protein
- …that it is vital to keep a well-stocked pantry and carefully consider your shopping list at the start of a week
Additionally, he assigned the sous chef position to his siblings based on each meal’s level of difficulty, giving himself nights when he could assist his dad at the grill, and doling out easy casserole nights to his little brother. Sister got stuck with jobs like sauteeing veggies and washing fruit.
Planning meals with our kids has helped me to see that my oldest [pictured above] really has a heart for cooking. He truly enjoys browning hamburger and unlocking the secrets to Kraft Mac-n-Cheese! And mom loves it because he’s next to me, inching up closer and closer to my shoulders, jabbering about his day and his friends and things on his heart.
So here’s my confession: maybe meal planning together isn’t so much about teaching cooking skills or practicing spelling. Maybe it’s more about connecting with my kids.
That’s one menu item that I’ll plan for as often as I can.
Freebie for YOU!
Q4U: What are some easy ways you help keep your child up-to-speed in the summer?
