Super Gum Brothers Inc...Parenting Tips for Summer Sanity

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It has begun...a 6 and 8 year old brain took about 4 seconds to come up with truly a groundbreaking name

Super Gum Brothers Inc

Look out local business vending machines gurus in Northern Colorado...your competition looks fierce...

Summer is here and school's out...which means your kids are now home...all day...

This is obvious if you don't have kids...but if you do...everything changes...and it can be terrifying...hopefully these few thoughts can be somewhat empowering...

My kids are always asking for that monies. They have been asking for an iPhone and a nintendo switch for well over a year now, to which my wife and I have told them that they can buy whatever they want when they can afford it.

The conversation goes something like this;
"Well, how much is it"
"For what?"
"A New phone"
"$300"
"Wow...thats a lot, I only have $13....Can I get my allowance early?"
"No"
"Can I have a job?"
"Sure, go walk the dog"
"mmmm....it's hot outside"

Rarely, does this conversation end with them actually doing a job that ends up with money in their hand. However the cogs are turning and they are starting to understand that people get paid for actual work...because its hard...

Connections in 8 year old brains are amazing. However, they are still 8 year old brains and we as parents are responsible to help develop those connections...

A Few Tips for Summer Sanity...and Developing Connections

A. Look for ways to incentivize doing hard stuff
This obviously is age appropriate, and requires some effort on your end...However, the alternative is helping your kids turn into a mindlessly entertained 20 year old zombies being brain washed by social media, and whatever other junk they can find on their devices.

Yesterday, the prospect of a bunch of quarters was helping my 6 year old wipe down and polish (ish) these old vending machines...

B. Help Your Kids create 'Play'
Three hours in front of Mariokart is not play. Ever notice that your kids are a bit off kilter and crazy after they veg out on a screen or watch a long movie? If your kids are home everyday, take an hour during the day and ask them to create new ways to play. This again will require some support, but after you get over the initial resistance, kids brains are incredibly creative and you will be surprised by what they come up with.
It also creates personal ownership, which elevates a sense of pride and accomplishment in their little brains helping these connections happen.

C. Schedule some quite time
Ideally, during the hottest time of the day. But you do actually need to take care of your soul as a parent. Get 30-60 minutes during your weekdays during the Summer and enforce some sort of down time. If you have a problem enforcing rules for you kids your life is already a wreck so this may not actually help. But teaching your kids some down time will not only serve your soul it will serve your children as well. Most kids are over-stimulated already, which is one of the reasons kids have a hard time napping. There is a reason research encourages elementary age kids sleeping 11-13 hours a day. Give them some time to decompress and chill out.