Back to School Thoughts
As the summer break ends and we start counting down the days till school starts (for us that is on the 11th), I wanted to reflect about this summer as well as look ahead. This summer has been a little different than the past couple of years where we traveled a lot including some trips to Europe and while I did miss the big trips, I really did enjoy this more quiet summer. We still managed a few long weekend vacations (Tybee Island and Arizona) and we will end the summer with an overnight weekend sans kids!
Summer Highlights
- My brother’s wedding and our trip to Arizona
- weekend in Tybee and Savannah
- boys half day camps: tennis all summer for the oldest, 2 weeks tennis for the other 2, art camp and running camps. The boys were able to socialize and participate in activities they enjoyed
- we added evening prayers back into our regular routine: the trick is to find the time when we will do it consistently: between dinner and dessert for our more structured prayers and in bed for our more informal prayers
- family time balance: bike rides, playing games on the Nintendo Switch with the boys, board games but also allowing the kids to have me time and entertain themselves.
Back to School
- Looking forward to getting back to a routine
- boys get to see their friends and socialize
- some expenses coming but not too many as I bought boys shoes and socks last month so we only need supplies and their lists are fairly short.
- afterschool activities: teen will be doing tennis and the other 2 are going to have a once a week running club meet.
- I need to work with my almost 4 year old on his literacy: he has forgotten all of his letters! We will have a little “school” time at home since he will not start Pre K for another year
- my oldest will be getting his learner’s permit so we will be teaching him how to drive. I also want to spend some time with him in the kitchen and enforce him doing his laundry: life skills are important!
What I want to continue into the fall
- once every other week or so outdoor activity: bike ride, hike or other
- my oldest is going to take my blog pictures and Instagram as his “work” instead of just receiving allowance. He will make more than what is allowance was.
- continue to have game time and invite my dad to come play chess or scrabble with the boys every other week or so
- do a camping night or two with the 3 youngest in the backyard again
- fires: waiting for it to cool a little!
A bientôt!
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20 Comments
Cool Esse
Summer always goes by too quickly! Seems like you had a fun one, though! I also would like to do another backyard camp out with my kids, backyard camping is definitely the easiest 😄
mimifce
Yes, the best way to camp in my book. Maybe Labor day weekend will be cool enough to do it again.
jodie filogomo
I love how you prioritize life skills too Mireille. That’s really so important for boys or girls!!
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
mimifce
Yes: now to follow through with that! I get lazy sometimes with the instruction because it is faster to do stuff myself.
Kathrine Eldridge
I love how you plan out your year! You are an amazing mom and love that you try to travel and educate your children as much as possible.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Nancy
What a great idea to let your oldest,, work,, for his money! I love it anyway how you and your family are with each other, as far as I can tell of course. Have a good weekend!
mimifce
We do try to have a balance of family time and then let them do stuff on their own. Right now (Saturday am) oldest has been in his room all morning but in a little bit we will go biking most likely.
mimifce
We try! It’s all a balance. There are some days where I feel good about my mother skills and some days I feel like I am failing.
Jill James
I so admire your family organising skill Mirielle , I was never that way when my family were children. It will be fun having your eldest taking your photos and earning money for doing so. It sounds like you all had a very enjoyable Summer break. All the best for the next school year.
mimifce
This school break was nice! Different than some of our past ones with less big trips but still really fun and some nice weekend trips and outings. If I don’t plan we don’t do anything so yes, a planner and organizer I am.
Amy
I’m praying the kids all over the country will be able to go back to school this fall. I keep hearing rumors they are going to do another shut down. I’m also praying Americans will resist it this time too. Enough is enough.
mimifce
Kids here are starting normally. But we shall see!
Heather Noire
The postive outlook is you can get ready for fun in the fall as well as what summer had to offer 🙂 http://www.bauchlefashion.com/2021/08/the-workout-outfits-i-swear-by-for.html
mimifce
Exactly! My brother and wife are coming soon to visit and we have lots of fun planned the next couple of months!
Mica
Looks lik you have some good goals for the seasons ahead! 🙂 It’s nice you have had a good summer even if you didn’t leave the country. We are still stuck in Australia here, I think they won’t open the borders until most of us get vaccinated and the government doesn’t have enough vaccines for us to get vaccinated yet 🙁
Hope you are having a good weekend 🙂
mimifce
And we still have lots of fun plan till the end of September and some birthdays to celebrate!
Joanne
Summer really does fly by so quickly! It sounds like you had a wonderful, relaxing summer. I hope you boys have a great school year.
mimifce
It was good as we stayed home more than we typically do but enough outings to keep us from getting bored.
Shelbee on the Edge
I love your plan as you transition back to the structure of the school year! I am very ready for school to go back so I get a bit more structured myself. We still have almost 4 weeks of summer vacation left though! So I will keep enjoying the lazy unstrcutured days until then. We just received word that the elementary school has enough funds to provide all school supplies so all I need for Ralph is a new backpack and lunchbox and some clothing and shoes. And Archie is headed off to middle school so I don’t yet know what his supply list will look like. Thanks for sharing and linking with me!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
mimifce
It was a lot less supplies this year. If I hadn’t bought any new water bottles it would have been very very cheap.