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Summer with Liz's Mom

SPF, Mom

[July 6, 2010]

The thing my mom loves most about getting older is "that I can hug anyone I want and everyone thinks I’m just some old lady."

Yep, Mom is a hugger. It goes without saying that she adores kids of all ages. She enjoys her job so much that watching over 1,200 high school students hardly seems like work.
 
Now that it's summer, Mom sure would appreciate kids and parents doing everything possible to ensure a great summer experience that she can hear about next fall.

Need a few summer tips? What would Liz's Mom do?

• First off, think safety. While we never want to think about the possibility of a child disappearing, it's best to be prepared. Child ID kits available online or through local police departments usually consist of a few items: A current photo, a DNA swab, and a fingerprint card.
• As a child, I was allowed a good amount of freedom, with a few rules. Mom would negotiate a time for me to be home. I would check in every time my location changed. Parents can purchase affordable pay-as-you-go cell phones for kids to use. These allow you to pre-load minutes, so you can always be in contact without overage charges. A walkie-talkie also works, and can be a lot of fun, if kids stay close to home.
• Give your bikes a good checkup and make sure helmets are appropriately sized. I acquired a great $5 helmet last summer at a community fair in Sandpoint. Check in with local hospitals or child care centers to see if they are offering a similar deal. Find a light-up button or bike reflector to make sure that riders are visible in those tricky twilight hours.
• Set rules for new drivers. No friends in the car for the first six months, a car curfew to prevent late-night driving distractions, and NO TEXTING and driving.
• Summer camps are a great way to keep kids occupied while having fun. Check in with local community colleges, Boy and Girls clubs, Scouting organizations, YMCAs and community centers. Every summer I was sent off for two weeks to Camp Zeypher. I remember the torture of being separated from home, and wondering what would happen if I got hurt? How would my parents ever reach me? It seems silly now: Zephyr is a church camp located at Liberty Lake, where I now drive to work every day. 
• A co-worker (not my Mom, but cool anyway) sets a summer goal with his kids every year, with a $50 reward for completion. One summer they had to learn all the presidents. Another, it was the states and capitols. The following year, it was memorizing the Gettysburg Address. This summer I’ll be reading Critics on Bikes, a blog project for a budding critic.
• Summer is also a great time to start teaching your kids about earning money. Set up a summer job with a neighbor or a yard work chore. Many communities offer summer events that are great first jobs, manning the popcorn stand, or even being the cotton candy girl. Set them up with their first savings account so they can see how money earns interest.
• Mom believes that kids live up to your expectations, so give them responsibility and set the bar high. They will be proud of the work they accomplish.

Take some time off yourself to spend with your kids this summer. Stores are already setting out their back-to-school items. While the time passes slowly when you are 8, 14 or 18, you and I both know that summer is only a short blip on the calendar and soon it will be gone. So take advantage.