So, May is always a crazy month around the office, and I got behind on my blog posts, but June is a completely different story! So much to share, and hopefully this upcoming summer is going to offer your family a bit of much needed respite. Although, for many of my students, it seems as though summer is even busier than the school year.

This past week in the Chicago Tribune’s Sunday Magazine, click here for the link, I was quoted on a way to help your kids stay engaged this summer – one of my ideas is to give kids a budget (say $150 for a family of four) and plan a complete daily family outing -  including tickets, transportation, food, etc – and watch how creative your kids can get. If you have several children, maybe have them each do one on their own or work together. By researching and planning they are practicing their executive functioning and critical thinking skills, and buy getting a budget they are using their math skills to find the best (or most affordable route). Maybe their family outing includes going to the city for the day, or going on a hike and then eating lunch somewhere amazing (because the hike was a less expensive activity) or maybe its going to a ballgame as a family. Regardless, having your kids do all the planning can be a nice role reversal!