July is fast approaching. What have you learned this summer? If you haven't learned anything, what have your kids learned?
Covid 19 has put a crimp is so many plans. Schools closed early, and for many, a quarter of the school year was lost. Add that quarter to summer, and students are going to be behind.
Some people are thinking things like, "I hated school. My kids are lucky." As someone who regularly sees kids who can't read or do simple math, I'm not sure that's true.
What matters is that you keep teaching your kids and they keep learning.
Learning doesn't have to be a book lesson. My dad wouldn't let me buy my first car until I could change a tire and change the oil by myself.
How did I learn? I got to rotate the tires on his car. I got to change the oil in the pickup.
I'm glad I learned. I've changed more tires than I want to remember. I'm always grateful when it's not on the highway.
There are science lessons in changing a tire. Think about the small jack lifting a larger vehicle. Do you tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern? Why? How did you get the lug nuts off in the first place?
You don't have to teach the science lesson, but if a kid asks, don't shut him/her down.
If you're cooking or baking, include your child. It doesn't have to be every day, but let them do the measuring.
Teach fractions by telling your child you can only find the 1/4 c measuring cup. If the recipe calls for 1.5 cups, see if they can figure out how many 1/4 c they will need.
It's math, but it's not math from a book.
Sidewalk chalk is cheap. If you write something on the sidewalk, they will read it. Most likely, they'll write their own messages. It's reading and writing practice without a book.
That doesn't mean you should ignore books. Reading well makes living easier. We read every day. I just read the front of my dryer to make sure the settings were right for my laundry. Read to your kids and have them read to you.
Finally, it's summer. That means nature is abundant. Bugs, animals, plants, and flowers abound.
Did you know there are moths that look like bumblebees? I'm not sure how I'll use this knowledge, and I could have lived without one being brought into my house. But, it was definitely better than a snake.
If you can, grow something. Maybe it's a cutting from a neighbor's houseplant but let your kids grow something. High school students often tell me about a project they did in elementary school growing plants. It's magic.
These ideas are short and simple. Encourage your kids to learn every day and you do the same.
It's someone who's curious, who wonders "What if?", who will find the cure.