Every spring as school is coming to a close my family starts preparing to welcome summer. And we are all SO excited! No more rushing around in the mornings, no more drop off and pick up schedule, no more homework or events.
The slow pace of June feels GLORIOUS and we all relish our ability to lounge around or head to the pool and just generally live our bests lives by eating Doritos at all hours of the day because we can.
...until July 15th.
It's uncanny, but I swear it's the same week every year. We get a little over halfway through our summer vacation and things start to go south. The kids are fighting, I'm tired of making 30928293 snacks/meals every day, and we've done all our favorite activities enough that I start to hear the dreaded phrase...
"I'M BORED."
UGH. Bane of my existence. Not only am I tasked with keeping them fed and alive, but now I'm in charge of their entertainment, too?
No sir and no ma'am, not this year. This is the year where we are going to practice a little bit of self-starter mentality and I just so happened to find the PERFECT tool to help me get the kids set up to entertain themselves! And guess what... the printable version (made by Kate at House Mix) is available to download for FREE!
FIRST UP: "I'M BORED JAR"
I love the ideas that Kate came up with, and cutting/gluing each one was an activity in and of itself that the kids enjoyed! My kids range from ages 3-9 and the content is great for all of them. Anytime a child tells me they're bored or they don't know what to do, I send them to grab a stick and watch the fun unfold.
SECOND UP: "CONSEQUENCE JAR"
I love the "Bored" jar, but I think I love the "Consequence" jar even more! When I'm getting onto someone for the 1000th time that day, I feel like I'm on "Mean Mommy Repeat." I get tired of my own unhappy voice, honestly. The Consequence jar has been such a great gift for our family because it allows us to reset and connect as we work through a behavior issue, as opposed to fighting and being pushed a part. Plus it helps to get a lot of the household chores done in record time 😉
What are you doing this summer to curb the boredom complaints? Share your ideas and let us know if you end up using the Boredom and Consequence jars! And good luck, Momma, you got this. Enjoy your summer!