By Joey & Carla Link
June 18, 2025
School’s out for the summer and you’re ready for some fun with your kids! Whether you’re staying home this summer or traveling we wanted to share some things we did with our kids while they were growing up to make our summer’s go smoother. We found that our kids would find ways to get into trouble or pick on their siblings when they had too much free time and not enough structure in their day!
We traveled most of the summer speaking at parenting conferences and meetings across the country. Whether at home or on the road we found it worked best to have a consistent routine for our kids. We would get some workbooks for them to do a few pages each morning to keep their minds engaged. You can find fun, interactive ones on topics they enjoy or might need a little extra help in. We loved going to national parks and historical sites, so I would often check out library books about the places we would visit so they knew about them before we went.
When our kids were in high school, Joey picked out several books for them to read that would help them grow and challenge them in their faith. This is the time you want to be asking them questions to make sure they know what and why they believe so they will be able to lean on their faith when it matters most.
When they were in elementary and middle school, we would pick a devotional to go through with them individually. You can either set aside a time daily, once a week or do it individually and pass it back and forth, reading over each other’s answers and talk about it while you’re driving to activities, to the grocery store, etc.
We picked a verse each week to memorize either with each kid or as a family. Look for easy verses you can memorize with preschoolers as well. We started teaching our kids different character traits when they were preschoolers, reading books about each trait like kindness, patience, etc., talking about how we were being kind or patient as we interacted with them throughout our days.
We also worked on responsibility, teaching new skills and being consistent. Make a chore chart so your kids know exactly what they need to do each morning before they play. Simple responsibility’s like empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, feed the pet, get dressed, brush your teeth and make your bed will go a long way in teaching them lifelong skills they need to know during a time of the year when you’re not rushing out the door for school.
Summer is the perfect time to focus on family identity. What makes your family unique? What do you want your kids to remember when they are grown? Is it going for a walk or bike ride after dinner? Chasing fireflies in the backyard? Enjoying popsicles on the porch? Playing card games together? Having a picnic on the living room floor on a rainy day? Vacations and memorable trips absolutely have their time and place, but family time doesn’t always need to be expensive or elaborate. After dinner one night ask your kids for some ideas, then make a family bucket list and check them off. You could also cut them up into individual slips of paper, put them in a jar and each kid gets a turn picking an activity out of the jar. We highly recommend leaving your phone in the other room during family time so your kids know this is a very special time to be together.
We’ve all seen the social media reels and heard the songs about only having 18 summers with our kids. As parents of 3 grown children and grandparents to 7 grandkids, we can say that it is true the years go by quickly. But don’t let that stress you out or feel like you are behind. You can start today, next week or even later this summer or year with any of these ideas. Start small and you’ll be amazed how easy it can be and how much peace it brings to your home when you add a little routine to your days and a little extra dedicated family time to your week. Enjoy the little moments with your kids and know that you are making memories they will cherish forever!
“Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
Know What You Believe & Know Why You Believe are two of the books Joey had our kids read in high school. They challenge your high school & college age kids to solidify their faith before they are influenced by their peers. We highly recommend having your kids read them before they leave home.
Have you listened to the Mom’s Notes
“Building a Healthy Family Identity” yet?
“Peer pressure is only as strong as family identity is weak.” Building a positive family identity takes time and effort but will last your family for a lifetime. Practical ways to develop identity as a family spiritually, emotionally and just for fun are given in this presentation.
Parenting Made Practical Podcasts
#103 Do Your Kids Love Each Other?
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