Summer of Service: Helping Your Kids Love Service

Summer is such a fun time to have your kids home, but it can also be a challenge to know how to spend all that extra time.

This summer I felt like we needed to add a little service into our summer, but I wanted to do it in a way that felt fun and fit naturally into my schedule. So we built it into our regular schedule and it has been so easy to keep up with and my kids have been loving it!

Washing our cars for service at home this summer. — Washing our cars for service at home this summer

Summer Schedule:

In the summer, we pick a theme for each day so we have one thing to look forward to each day (and that is already planned): These are our themes for this summer:

Monday- Learning
Tuesday- Park/Library
Wednesday- Kids Choose
Thursday- Adventure Day
Friday- Service

Why I Schedule My Summer This Way:

Before I share more about service, I wanted to share WHY I use this summer system.

When I was a young mom I used to think that time= love. That the more time I spent with my kids, the more they would feel loved.

But after a few years and a few more kids, my time became stretched thin and l found I couldn’t give as much time to each of my kids as I wanted to or even felt like I “should”. There was more house work, laundry, and driving around to do. I also felt myself craving more time for me to grow and develop myself and even just to relax.

So, I had to spend some time reevaluating this idea. Did time really = love?

After a lot of thought I realized that it wasn’t time I was seeking, but a deep and meaningful relationship with my children. That this relationship wasn’t built on time, but on moments. Moments of real, genuine connection. Moments laughing together, sharing a story, or just letting them talk to me and tell me about their dreams. A relationship was made up of quality time, not quantity.

This shift has been a huge blessing in my life and in my motherhood.

This summer I have started to schedule a chunk of real, quality time with my kids each day. Time where I put away the responsibilities, the mental load of what needs to get done, and I am fully present with them. Time to just enjoy being together.

The best thing has happened as I have done this….I have been able to ditch the mom guilt!

Later in the day when I am doing house responsibilities, taking a nap, or even working on this blog, I don’t have to feel guilty taking that time for myself because I know I have already given 100% of myself to my kids that day. We had FUN. We made MEMORIES. We CONNECTED. They know they are loved and important to me.

How to Set Up Your Own Summer System:

STEP 1 – Print Your Summer of Service Printable

Get your FREE download below and print off a copy!

Download Summer of Service Printable

STEP 2– Meet Together and Plan

You will need to pick a different theme for each day. Make sure to leave one day open for service day (see step 3). If you have younger kids you may find it easier to pick them yourself, and if you have older kids you may want to get together with your family and brainstorm some things you like to do in the summer. Write them down and see if you can group them into bigger themes.

For example:

Crafts, painting, jewelry making, drawing tutorials could be grouped into ART DAY.
Sports, swimming, and park could be grouped into OUTSIDE DAY

A few example days might be: art, music, cooking, science, water, animals, pretend play, outside, read-a-thon, learning, etc.

STEP 3– Explain Why You Are Doing a Service Day

While you plan, share with your kids that you want to find more ways to do service together this summer. Help them see how blessed you and your family are and how you want to help others. You could share some examples of how Christ spent His life serving or share a favorite scripture about service. Let them know that you are excited to share with them lots of different ways you can do service. Choose which day will be your service day.

STEP 4- Fill Out Your Paper

Fill out your Summer Daily Schedule Paper like this:

Fill out your other paper by writing each theme in a different box and brainstorming all the ideas you can think of for that category. That way, you will have lots of ideas ready to go.

STEP 5– Post Your Papers Where Everyone Can See

Remember that you don’t have to keep perfectly to the schedule. You can switch days when needed or skip for other family events and activities when needed.

My kids have loved doing service this way this summer. They love the simple routine (kids love routines!) and they love getting to pick ideas that sound fun to them.