Summer Bucket List

How can 4th of July have come and gone already?  Several friends of mine define this holiday as the 'midpoint of summer'.  While I'm not sure I agree, or at least don't want to think of it that way, I guess it is as close as we have to a mid-summer checkpoint.  As a kid, I remember summers being epic, awesome, endless, and amazing.  As a parent, I feel pressure to ensure that my children have those same feelings.

I have made mistakes on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to summer vacation.  I have announced that we are going to relax and have no schedule.  In a week, we are all bored.  I have scheduled the whole summer with 'special events'.  By the end, we are all exhausted.

A few years ago, we implemented something that has worked well, the Summer Bucket List.  The basic premise is, a few weeks before summer starts, we ask the kids "What things do you REALLY want to do this summer?"  They give us their short lists and my husband and I add a few too.  By the way, items on the list can be as simple as a picnic in the park.

Once you have a complete list, narrow it down based on a few criteria.

• Remove the 'fly to the moon' type requests that inevitably are there.  
• Make sure there is a mix of traditional things and new experiences.  If lacking in either, ask for more ideas or add them.  
• Determine who will be involved in which activities. Within reason, I let the kids pick the things that they want to do by adding their initials to the narrowed down list.  This can be interesting with teenagers who think of family time as a necessary evil.  I'm a big believer in quality time with everyone together, yet also realize that we have varied levels of excitement for certain outings due to gender, age, or interests.  It's perfectly reasonable to have a mix of plans where everyone goes and others where it is some of the family.
• Finalize the list with a reasonable number of items.  Reasonable is the key word, it depends on your family, what else you have going on and how much you like to run.  

Post the list where everyone can see it and cross them off as you get to them.

Don't let summer slip away, create your Summer Bucket List today!