A mom decides to make her own "Summer Packet" that teaches kids how to experience life and her list is very much relatable to other parents.
Betsy Eggart, an experienced teacher and a parent, is familiar with the summer routine of sending kids home with a summer packet that keeps them up to date with schoolwork. The packets are guides that parents can work with their kids to review skills learned and to prepare them for what is up ahead.
Summer Packet For Kids
The mom shares that she felt guilty when she told a parent one day that she was not sending her class a home packet to work on for the summer. However, upon careful thought, she decides to come up with her own helpful 'Summer Packet' for parents to use.
"The more I thought, the more I decided that this summer packet should be less addition practice and sight words and more...LIFE," Eggart shares in a Facebook post.
The teacher from Lipscomb Elementary School in Florida suggests teaching kids how to tie their shoelaces by themselves. Parents can do this in unique ways. They can find a fun trick, give an incentive, or watch a video. They just need to make sure that their child is not the one dragging their shoelaces in school and asking the teacher to tie it for them.
Eggart likewise reminds parents to keep bedtime consistent even during the summer. This way the body keeps up with the routine of sleep and schooldays won't be a trouble. The mom then suggests letting kids write to friends or family members to practice their writing skill. Ask the child to write in full sentences, provide details and ask questions They should include a return address and a postage stamp. They may be in for a surprise if they receive a reply.
Reminders For Parents
Eggart also has some assignments for parents to work on during the summer. Her "Summer Packet" includes a reminder for parents to read to their kids and to eat meals together with them, so they can observe how they eat. Are they eating with their mouth open, sitting on their knees, and their food everywhere? If this is how the child eats at home, then it is likely the same at the cafeteria, so parents need to work on changing that.
Another major task includes encouraging kindness each day either by delivering cookies, making a card, anything to make someone smile. Eggart also reminds parents to look up from their phones and look at their kids grow. She also tells parents to let their kids solve problems on their own as long as they are not in a harmful situation.
