Summertime success, really?
Okay, I bet I got you thinking...what’s the CQ up to talking about “SUCCESS” and summertime in the same sentence? Yup, it’s kinda funny to think of summertime as a time when you want to encourage success, but it’s so filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and explore beyond the classroom. So I ask you dear reader to think about what summertime success would look like for your child. Then ask your child what a successful summer would look like for them. You may even want to get some art supplies and get creative with this. I imagine there are quite a few differences and lots of opportunities for learning from each other.
Here’s the beauty of this exercise- both of you have a visual creation of what’s important, and from here you can begin negotiating the differences. Your kiddo wants more electronics time and you want more reading time, look to find a way you can both get your needs met and teach the art of compromise. They want to go to a sports camp with their friends, and you want them to join the academic camp, how can you come up with a compromise and create a win:win?
Life is all about negotiating differences, learning to communicate your needs, and how to be flexible when things don’t go your way. Now that you and your child have an agreement on what a successful summer looks like, be a detective and collect evidence of positive moments. As you’ve heard me mention before, Dr. Rick Hanson talks about Taking in the Good and savoring positive moments.
Here are some ideas to savor summertime success:
Take Instagram pictures of summertime success moments (both your definition and theirs)
Create a Wordle (word cloud) with key phrases or words that describe your child summer of success
Make a collage of words and images depicting their summertime goals
Put together a scrapbook or Smashbook of summer highlights (need some inspiration search Pinterest for ideas)
Make a summer movie and include a highlight reel from key moments of summertime success
Get creative and ask your kiddo to come up with ideas to celebrate their successes!
Need help negotiating differences and create a win:win with your child? Schedule a complimentary phone consultation to learn more.