Life Lessons We Hope Our Kids Learn from Summer Days

This is the very first guest post ever to appear on Cutest Kid Ever. I hope you enjoy! – Christina

Summer is almost here and for kids that means shedding layers of clothes and getting outside to run, jump and explore. I always smile when I think back to the excitement of summer when I was a child.  It was like waking up from a winter’s hibernation to find a whole new world outside.

Now that I’m a parent, I realize that hidden in all of that fun is also an amazing opportunity to teach our kids some of life’s most important lessons. Here are six lessons I hope your children take with them long after this summer is over.

1. Small things make life worthwhile. If, on a quiet summer afternoon, you spend time with your kids doing small things, you will help them appreciate the little-noticed wonders of the world around them. Watch a bug crawling along a stick, and let your child’s imagination wander as to where it’s going and what it’s going to do when it gets there. Toss pebbles into a pond, hear the plop and watch the ripple grow. Examine the delicate petals of a tiny flower. As they mature, we hope our kids remember what it was like to be content with such small wonders.

2. Never take for granted the miracle of life. Over the summer everything is coming alive. Plants are growing, flowers are blooming and baby birds are chirping. Help your children discover these new beginnings. Walk with them, help them see new the new beginnings around them. Children marvel at how amazing it is to see new life right before their eyes. If you help your child appreciate the new life of summer, they will never lose this sense of wonder as they grow.

3. You reap what you sow. With your help, your kids can experience this life lesson for themselves. Plant a garden with your children. Even little ones will learn the importance of taking care of plants with water, good soil and loving care. As they nurture their garden, they are learning the very important lesson that, if you put in the work, you will be rewarded. Make plans to celebrate the harvest.

4. Enjoy every second, because it won’t last forever. For most of us, summer does not last nearly long enough. Just like in life, we have to enjoy every second while it’s here. Act impetuously with your children. Do something fun on the spur of the moment, like picnicking in your back yard, or organizing a game of tag. Show them fun can be had anytime, if you let it.

5. It’s important to take time to relax. Summer is about having fun, but it’s also about laying in the grass under a shady tree when the mood strikes you, or taking a lemonade break on the front porch. As parents, we need to show our children it’s important to take time off from work and household obligations to relax and enjoy happy times together as a family.

6. Sometimes it’s fun to have nothing to do. In today’s over-stimulated world, lazy summer days are a great reminder that it’s okay not to plan every minute and every detail of your day. Help your children understand that downtime is a good thing, and you will create some of your best summertime memories doing nothing much at all.

About the Author:

Jennifer Kirkpatrick is a mother of two, serial entrepreneur and blogger. Check out Jennifer’s personalized children’s clothing line Define*Me Clothing or her baby gifts boutique Pipsqueak Boutique for great kids items. When she’s not busy filling orders, Jennifer blogs about the crazy journey that is parenthood at Parents Only Zone.

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