July Week 1: Get Organized

Bring your family in on this month’s challenge from Day 1! Let them know that you’re all going to work together to write your family’s Summer Story. The goal is for each family member to do at least one thing this summer that’s fun for them.

Start brainstorming! Make lists. One big list, lots of individual lists…you decide. You don’t have to commit to anything on the lists…this is just the idea part. Let your kids know that, too, that this is just the idea stage. Get your family thinking about what sounds fun. Spend a few days coming up with the list. Put the list in plain sight. Add to it as you think of things.

You can prompt them by asking what would feel like summer: Swimming? Popsicles every week? A new pair of flip flops? Watermelon for lunch? Making homemade lemonade? A road trip? A hike? A picnic? Fishing? Water balloon fight? Flashlight tag? Catching fireflies? Find out what’s sounds fun to each person: write it all down, even the impractical. Today is about dreaming big…we’ll work out the details later.

You’ll hear me say over and over that “you cannot pour from an empty cup.” So what about you, mama? What sounds fun to you? Write it down. I really want you to complete your fun thing first. Be the model. It’s okay for you to go first.

Yesterday you made a list of ideas about what is fun for you…now what can you do to put it into action? Write out what it will take to make your summer fun come true. Schedule a sitter, coordinate schedules, etc. Get all your ducks in a row. Set yourself up for success.

Then write about it—capture the details, the clothes, the food, the smells, the weather, the fireworks, the look on your child’s face, the music—all of it. Think of it as practice writing for your summer story.

Take a look at your lists. Are there active AND restful items on the list? What could you add to the list that would be easy, peaceful, and promote rest? Add things to your list that capture the essence of summer laziness.

Who do you want to hang out with this summer? Who do you want to see? Meet up with? Chill by the pool with? Who do your kids want to spend time with? How can you incorporate friends and family into your summer story? Start writing down the “who” and reaching out to others so you can start coordinating schedules.

Revisit the lists. What do you need to do to make some of them happen? Which are realistic for this month? Affordable? Free? Which ones take pre-planning? Which ones can you transfer to a long-term goal list? Which ones could be spur of the moment? Start making plans to make them happen. Writing down plans or what you need to succeed is a great step in the right direction.