Goldenrod, salmon, lilac, buff, aqua. By any other name, they’re still just the colors of fast and frequent handouts coming at the end of the year. Whether it’s for summer camps, sports leagues, or other activities, your students’ backpacks are probably stuffed to bursting this time of year.
On the opposite side of the coin, like many of you, I am also a parent watching goldenrod, salmon, lilac, buff, and aqua form a pastel pile of possibilities growing exponentially on my kitchen counter everyday.
We will debate the “over scheduling” of our children’s lives in detail at some point, I’m sure. But right now I’m thinking of what my boys will be doing with their summer. Art camp. Music camp. Baseball camp. Swim team. Tennis lessons. Soccer. Basketball. Robotics. Outdoor adventure. Road trip with Mom and Dad. A week with Nana and Pa. A few of these. All of these? Come on, let’s not forget: it is vacation.
Mixed in with the fun, I hope my boys will spend plenty of time with books. I have even thought about bringing some home from The Mailbox to give them skill-builders, writing prompts, and math practice pages to work on when the rain falls. Further, I hope they will encounter real-world problems that require them to use some of what they’ve learned in school this year.
If you had one wish for your students as they set out on summer vacation, what would it be? Mine might be extra reading time.
P.S. Right now, we’re just 21 fans shy of 20,000 at The Mailbox Facebook page. Are you one of our fans? If not, please join us. Once we reach 20,000, one of our lucky fans will receive a free book from The Mailbox. As a fan, you’ll have a great way to follow what’s happening at The Mailbox throughout the summer and keep up to date on special offers and prize giveaways!