WebParenTips - The Online Parenting Newsletter vol.5 no.7, Jul 2004 

                      ASSIGNMENT FOR SUMMER

By now the kids have been out of school for a while.
Chances are they have had time to decompress and
enjoy some well-earned rest and relaxation. If your
children are anything like mine were, they are beginning
to get a bit bored by now and could use a little structure
in their lives.

My daughter came up with a good plan for her twins,
age 8. They are each expected to read a book a week
and write a short book report. They can pick the book
they want to read. They are free to read as many books
as they like but the report on one book is due every
week just like school homework. Your children should
make a chart so they can list the book they start each
week and check off when they turned in their book report.

This is a good idea. Yes, children need free time,
do-nothing time, daydreaming time. But they also
need some structure even in the summer. We all
need structure but grownups have a wide variety of
things to do both at home and at work and these
tasks impose structure. Children have a more limited
repertoire. And, alas, all too often these days they
meet their “There’s nothing to do!” needs by watching TV.

One book a week is not onerous. They still have
plenty of time for summer activities and play, both
solitary and with friends. Self-selection of the
book-of-the-week gives them the autonomy to
explore new types of books and new authors or
read more books by an author they like.

And this activity, both the reading and the writing part,
is completely portable. They can take their summer
assignment with them to visit Grandma and Grandpa
or go on vacation with their parents.

All it adds to your parental tasks is a few trips to the
library and the time to read 12 short book reports
(unless you have twins, then it’s 24!).


Happy Parenting,
Marilyn Heins, M.D.


NOTE: There are New ParenTips on the website. See:

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Dr. Marilyn Heins is a Tucson pediatrician, parenting
columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, author of the book,
ParenTips, as well as a mother, stepmother and grandmother.

She is available for workshops and lectures to groups of
parents, teachers, and grandparents. See:

Dr. Heins' Lectures
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