Me on the first day of summer....
I AM GOING TO CHANGE EVERY SINGLE THING I DO IN MY CLASSROOM AND IT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!!
Me on the second day of summer....
Oh look...Netflix!
How do we find balance? Here are 10 ways YOU can have a CAREFREE summer and still accomplish those "must do's" before the school year starts again!
1. Take a break. A week? 3 weeks? A whole month? You know what you need. Take it!
2. Love to read? Read something that is just for you! I am shamelessly addicted to Janet Evanovich novels and I've been waiting for the latest installment forever. I will float in my pool, turn off my brain, and read that book until it is done. Amen.
3. Go on an adventure! Even it is just to the park down the street go out and explore. I live in a fairly beautiful place and hiking is amazing. I NEVER take the time to go out and do it so I make sure to get a few good hikes in before the summer is over. Even if you can not plan an all out amazing (expensive) family vacation, take the time to explore nearby and find something new.
4. Kids at home? Let them plan a day! Take a day to let them do what they want (you might be surprised!) Mine are all grown up but I know that if I let them plan the day we would end up swimming at the river and it would be awesome.
5. Read a professional book that will reignite your love for teaching. After you read your "just for you" novel go out and pick one thing you want to improve on next year. For me I am reading The Morning Meeting Book to improve my morning meeting time. I'm really excited about this and it has sparked enthusiasm in me for the upcoming year. Sometimes we need a spark to get us going into the next year!
6. Hang out with your teacher friends! Last summer I think I went all summer without connecting with any friends from school. It was a pretty isolating feeling. My teacher friends are my LIFE 180 days a year. I need them. They need me! This year I have attended a concert, gone to lunch, and had a hubby dinner date with my teacher friends. Don't miss out on what's happening in your friend's lives during the break.
7. DON'T overdo the Dollar Store. Honestly....I promise.....you are never REALLY going to need a thousand tiny erasers for your math centers. DON'T spend your entire summer searching for that MUST HAVE item from Target. I do it. I get it. I see something on Instagram and I HAVE TO have it! Pick and chose what you will work on for next year and let the rest roll right on by.
8. DO spend a day or two putting your room back together BEFORE you are required to go back. It will save you a ton of stress when your back to school days suddenly get filled with meetings. Even it if just means putting your furniture back in order and covering a couple of boards with fabric it will save you time later (and get you in the mood for back to school!)
9. Don't let the small moments pass you by! One thing I REALLY enjoy in the summer is being part of the "real world". Today I stood in line at the grocery store and took a moment to soak it all in. I am normally running like crazy to get home and make dinner when I am at the grocery store but today I just waited and didn't stress. It was actually quite nice. People watching is always a fun activity!
10. Don't Stress! You might not make it through your reading list (I haven't even finished charging my Kindle yet!), you might not repaint the bathroom (one wall done!), and you may not even change the world all in 8 short weeks but the important thing is that you RECHARGE. Get yourself recharged so that when back to school hits you are ready!
So what do you do to recharge? We would love to hear your ideas! Join the Kinder Tribe on FB to connect with more teachers like YOU. Comment in the section below to share your favorite ways to unwind in the summertime.
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