Summer is a state of mind.

Before you blink and it’s over, create a summer to remember!

There are 31 days in July and August – here are 62 ideas.  Spoiler alert – none require tech gadgets!

1. Make smores
2. Have a bike decorating contest for July 4th (if you do not have a bike check out downhill bikes for sale Adelaide catalog).
3. Fina a drive-in movie theatre near you.
4. Plant a vegetable garden
5. Make paper airplanes
6. Make your own sidewalk chalk and then create outside art
7. Build a new Lego challenge
8. Learn a new card game
9. Ask your parents or grandparents to teach you a game they played as kids
10. Make and fly your own kite
11. Go on a scavenger hunt
12. Go to a minor league baseball game
13. Go on a nature walk and take photos
14. Print the photos and make them into postcards and mail to your grandparents!
15. With your parents help, plan and make dinner one evening
16. How long can you jump rope?
17. Go to the library and borrow language tapes, and learn a few phrases.
18. Catch lightning bugs
19. Pay for ice cream of the person behind you in line
20. Go to a water park, or run through a sprinkler
21. Play minute to win it games
22. Fill water balloons and play water balloon piñata
23. Have a dance party
24. Play board games
25. Help take care of an elderly neighbor’s yard
26. Hike in a state park
27. Visit a museum you’ve never been to
28. Reorganize your room
29. Have a garage sale
30. Make and mail cards to soldiers
31. Bake cookies and take them to your local fire and/or police station
32. Make popsicles
33. Create a music video
34. Try an outdoor science experiment
35. Have a car wash
36. Make finger paints
37. Play ultimate Frisbee
38. Create your own family madlibs game
39. Attend a free concert
40. Host an outdoor sleepover
41. Play manhunt
42. Visit a farmers market
43. Go to a planetarium
44. Try miniature golf
45. Create a building from marshmallows and toothpicks
46. Tie dye
47. Make your own glitter slime
48. Design your own pillow case with fabric markers
49. Make your own outdoor twister game
50. Make a puppet theatre and have a show
51. Homemade play dough
52. Host a joke telling contest
53. Play Simon Says
54. Visit a local factory
55. Make a slip and slide
56. Have a picnic
57. Go fishing
58. Go berry picking, and then make a pie
59. Tell ghost stories
60. Make a stand and sell lemonade
61. Put on a magic show
62. Play charades

Feel free to add more.

Have an amazing summer!

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

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Family is the most important thing in the world.

Princess Diana

As made famous in the Monty Python catchphrase…’now for something completely different’ I’m sharing a video rather than simply a blog post on this week’s topic – Family.

Presenting in a video format feels a little more personal, though I’ll continue to provide helpful information to support the topic throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter.

When asked, “What is the most important thing in your life,” people will respond without a moment’s hesitation – my family, though our actions may not be as obvious as our intentions.

Here are some thought starters on demonstrating the importance of family:

• When you were growing up, you had a sense of different kinds of families you visited
• Now that you are the head of your household, what do you want your children to remember about growing up in their home?
  • Ask them what kind of a family they want to be
  • They can even create a family crest
  • By defining your family, you stand together

This week, please look for Parental Wisdom’s Facebook post and Twitter feed on the kinds of things families can do together.

1. Monday, July 6^th – Coolest Roadside attractions in every state
2. Tuesday, July 7^th – Top 10 Sports Halls of Fame in U.S
3. Wednesday, July 8^th – Fun Activities that create memories
4. Thursday, July 9^th – Cooking with kids
5. Friday, July 10^th – Fun ways to read with your child

As always, feel free to add your own great ideas, because after all, we are all in this together.

Enjoy and have a great week!

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

#valueoftheweek

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart”

 -Helen Keller

One of life’s biggest frustrations is knowing the right thing to do and not doing it.

Sometimes it is because we wait for things to be perfect which is like saying I don’t want to leave for work until all the lights are green.

But a friend (thanks Suzanne!) posted a link to an article The Important Thing About Yelling by Rachel Macy Stafford which causes you to stop and think.

That article coupled with an amazing ad directed to moms demonstrates how critical moms are of the job they do, while their kids have a totally different and far more positive reaction.

The clichés express we are to enjoy each moment. Since we are driven by our emotions, I thought the article and video will help.

But simply stated moms, lighten up!

You see – the greatest impact you will have in the world is on your own family.  And you can do that every day in little ways by finding reasons to celebrate without waiting for the big traditional holidays.

First up – Trivia Day – January 4th

What I love about this ‘holiday’ is that you could tailor it to your own family.   Think about creating:

• Family trivia
• Age appropriate trivia
• Have kids research a topic and discuss at dinner
• Google the topic Trivia day!
• This day in history

For future ‘holiday’ days/dates – please follow me on Twitter

Have a great week!

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

For those cleaning up after Hurricane Irene, hoping for the return of electricity, hot water and the comforts that only electronic devices can provide – stop a moment to realize this is actually the calm before the storm. 

Take pleasure in the few remaining lazy days of summer and spontaneity before schedules rules your life.

Enjoy the kind of fun that is possible only when single-tasking (which may not be a real word, but certainly understandable for a multi-tasking society).

Play a board game, go for a walk, talk to each other as you take full advantage of the last bit of downtime that comes with a holiday weekend.

See you in September!

 Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®

 A few weeks ago, the world didn’t end on May 21st as Harold Camping predicted.   His forecast caused some folks to stop paying the mortgage and bills.  I imagine they are now trying to recover from that decision.

Most things we spend time worrying about just don’t happen.  Parents create anxiety about things that can happen to their kids, and that anxiety keeps them from just being kids. 

I’m not saying there aren’t dangers in the world and it is your job to protect your child from real danger.  But let’s distinguish danger from anxiety.  Practice safety in all aspects of life, from the use of car seats, to child-proofing your home, to cyber protecting your kids to prohibiting alcohol to minors.  These measures all make sense and do protect our children from real danger.

And then lighten up.

Allow your kids to play the way you used to play – outside and unstructured.  Look for ways to celebrate life’s small milestones which help to shape what is in your control in this seemingly out of control world.  What would you like your children to remember about their childhood?

One of life’s milestones is the last day of school.  Each year I would leave work early to pick up the kids, and they knew I would be armed with water blasters.  Of course, one was for me. 

Why should they have all the fun?

 “We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable.  It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives.”  – Maya Angelou

Have a great week!

Tina Nocera, Founder

Parental Wisdom®