Let's Get Started!

This is it – school is finished, and summer has officially begun! After about a week of lounging on the couch, your kids will realize how much time they have on their hands. They can only watch so much TV, and it’s not healthy for them to be on screens an additional 35 hours per week.

Of course, the first thing you will probably hear when you limit the devices is a loud chorus of “I’m bored!” Contrary to kids’ opinions, boredom is not bad. It’s a breeding ground for creativity.

As a family, take time today to write a list of things you can do together or individually during the long summer days. This is your Do Something list. Here’s how it works. For each of the topics below, write what you can do. I’ve provided some examples. Feel free to add your own ideas.

Do something to strengthen your faith:  Attend or volunteer for an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) summer camp.

Do something adventurous: Take a family hike at a state park like Antietam Battlefield or on the C & O Canal.

Do something intelligent: Visit the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C.

Do something kind: Mow your elderly neighbor’s lawn.

Do something fun: Have a picnic at Devil’s Backbone Park and stop for ice cream at Potomac Creamery in Boonsboro on your way home.

Do something new: Go kayaking on the Antietam Creek.

Do something early: Watch a sunrise.

Do something creative: Take an art class at The Museum of Fine Arts located in Hagerstown’s City Park.

Do something musical: Attend a concert in the park on Sunday evenings.

Do something green: Recycle old batteries lying in the kitchen drawer.

Do something old-fashioned: Write a letter on paper to a friend or relative.

Once you have your ideas on paper, you are ready to get moving. Live life to the fullest! Be active. Do something good for your family, for others, and for your community. This summer enjoy the world around you and return refreshed and renewed in September.