February is finally coming to a close and I'm finding myself thinking about summer. There's nothing like snow, short days, and cold temperatures to make you long for the warm, baseball-filled days of summer. For students, summer is always a far-off, magical time that they long for because there is a break from school and there are fun things to do. There probably isn't a day that goes by that summer doesn't enter the brain of a student.
Even though summer is still three months away (don't worry, it will get here!), now is the time to start making plans. Sign up students for summer camps, book vacation rentals, and map out the details for an incredible three months.
Without the right kind of planning, a whole summer can be lost. Without intentionality and structure, the summer months can turn into a slew of days of sleeping in, irregular eating habits, lots of video games, and little accomplishment for our kids.
Now I'm all for taking a break from the norm, loosening the schedule, and having the freedom to relax and decompress, but is that all summer is supposed to be? What if, as parents, we looked at the summer months as a strategic time to stretch and grow our children in their faith, their intellect and their worldview?
Capture the Days of Summer: Invest in the Future
There is no doubt that our children are building knowledge and learning to think critically while they are in school. Each year they are progressing in math, science, social studies and English. However, is that all they need? There are other areas of knowledge that are vital to their faith, success, and ability to impact the world.
During the summer, parents have the opportunity to invest in the spiritual health of their children. I'm not advocating for three months of school-level work, projects, and intensity. Yet, summer shouldn't be only about relaxing and disengaging. We have an incredible opportunity to invest in our children to help them become adults who love Jesus and have a healthy worldview.
Summer Reading Program
So how can we maximize this time? Develop a summer reading list for your children. Based on their age and learning level, choose specific books they can read on their own or you can read together. Set aside time to engage in discussion about what they read, what affect it had on them, and what that means for their future. Help them wrestle with new ideas and their implications.
Some students can easily read a book a week, while others are more likely to read one or two books over the entire summer. Choose a level of reading and an amount of reading that is not overwhelming but also brings a bit of a challenge. I also recommend a breadth of topics rather than spending a summer reading about just one subject.
Below is a brief list of books that the Family Ministry team recommends. If you are looking for more suggestions - or need help determining a good starting place for your kids - ask us. We would love to help!
- Living By the Book by Howard Hendricks (how to read and study the Bible)
- Turning Everyday Conversations Into Gospel Conversations by Jimmy Scroggins and Steve Wright (sharing your faith)
- Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
- Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (gospel, faith, and Christian thought)
- Reason If You Will by Tim Albury (apologetics)
- Why Trust the Bible? by Greg Gilbert
- Don't Check Your Brains At the Door by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler
- Visual Theology by Tim Challies and Josh Byers
- The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
- How to Stay Christian in College by J. Budziszewski
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