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.

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.