Making Summer Count

"The days are long, but the summers are short." It's easy to feel like summer should be either all fun or all prep for next year — but it doesn't have to be either. The best summers usually have a little of both: room to be bored, room to try something new, and a loose rhythm that keeps everyone grounded.

This week, instead of planning every hour, try picking just one small thing to look forward to together.

This Week's Reminder: Rest and growth aren't opposites — they're partners.

Getting ready for the new school year? We've put together The Complete Back to School Guide — everything a parent actually needs in one place.

What's inside:
📋 Grade-by-grade readiness checklists (K–12)
😴 A sleep and morning routine that survives past week one
🪑 How to set up a homework space that actually works
🎒 What supplies are worth buying — and what's a waste of money
💛 How to tell normal first-day nerves from something worth a closer look
🗓️ A full week-by-week countdown so nothing sneaks up on you

Here's the thing: most of what makes the first month of school hard is predictable — if you know what to check for in August instead of finding out in October.

👉 Read the full guide:
schoolsuccessguide.com/back-to-school/

Ask your child: What's one thing you want to get better at before school starts?"

Write it down together, then pick one small, doable step to take this week — no pressure, just direction.

Downtime isn't wasted time. Unstructured play builds problem-solving and creativity in ways worksheets can't.
Say this: "What do you want to do with your afternoon?"
Not that: "You need to be productive today."

Spend two minutes together this week and go through:

☐ Everyone named one fun thing from this week
☐ Screen time felt balanced, not battled over
☐ Bedtime stayed roughly on track
☐ Everyone got outside at least once

Mon 🌞 What's one thing you're excited about this week?

Tue 📚 What's a book or show that's stuck with you lately?

Wed 🎨 If you could learn any new skill this summer, what would it be?

Thu 🌳 What's the best thing about having free time?

Fri 🎉 What's something fun we could do this weekend?

Sat 🍦 What's your favorite memory from this summer so far?

Sun 🌙 What's one thing you're looking forward to about the new school year?

Libby (by OverDrive) — Best for: free ebooks/audiobooks via library card.

Tip: let kids browse and pick their own summer reads — buy-in matters more than the book list.

Name It, Then Start
Before your child opens a book or worksheet, have them say out loud (not silently think) what the very first small step is — "I'm going to reread the first paragraph" or "I'm going to write my name and the date." Not the whole assignment, just the first move.
Saying it out loud makes the task concrete and shrinks it from "this whole big thing" to "one small thing I already know how to do," which is usually what breaks the stall before it starts.

Real Tutors. Real Results. Real Support.

Some kids need extra support to keep up. Others are cruising along and could use more of a challenge. Camp Homework connects K–12 students with real human tutors — not AI — who meet kids exactly where they are, whether that means steadying a shaky subject or pushing further into one they've already mastered.

Plans start at $150/month.

Learn more: camphomework.com

Summer doesn't have to be productive to be valuable — some of the best learning happens when no one's watching for it. A slower pace now is what makes the fast pace of the school year manageable later.