Push the Reset Button

Summer.  New routines, no routines, sleepy, hard working, playful, fun and free summer.  If there is ever a time to push the reset button and start fresh it's summer.  Kids are out of school and families have more time together. Routines have changed and there seems like endless time for nothing.  


During the school year, in the midst of packed schedules, long school days, endless homework and after school activities, priorities can get out of balance. It's easy for many important things that may have gotten caught in the crazy cycle.  

What better time to slow down and work on relationships and refocus some priorities. Here are a few ideas:



*  Make time for family dinners again.
    -Families who eat dinner together 3 or more nights a week have children 
     who engage in drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors significantly less 
     (more than half). (source)

*  Unplug for a day - or a week!
    -91% of teens who start using media at age 11-12 will have sex before they 
    are out of high school. 

*  Do a service project or help someone in need, as a family.


*  Focus on family health - getting more rest and eating better.
   - More than 70% of physical health and mood issues stem from the gut.  
     Eating a healthy diet helping to care your teen's heath could improve many 
     issues. 

*  Try a new sport or activity together.

*  Plan a "stay cation" if your family is not going out of town together. 

*  Have long (maybe awkward) talks about how everyone is really doing.   

How do you plan to RESET this summer?

Are you speaking your childs' "language"?!

Have you ever felt like you were spinning your wheels for someone (possibly your children) only to have them question your love and/or commitment to them?! Perhaps you are just speaking a different "language"?! 

There is a popular book called The Five Love Languages that discusses the idea of learning to "speak" the love language of the people in your life.

The basis behind the theory of love languages is to help you discover your own love language and that of the people that you love in order to truly "speak" their language.  When you are able to effectively communicate your love and commitment to them, it can result in developing more fulfilling relationships.  

The author of this book describes the five areas in which most people feel loved:

1. Acts of Service

2. Words of Affirmation

3. Physical Touch

4. Quality Time

5. Gifts

An example may be that you are always expressing your love to your child by showering them with hugs and kisses, but they convey that they don't feel very special or loved because you don't spend much time with them.  It could be possible that your child's love language is not physical touch, but quality time.

This is not to say that you shouldn't express your love through hugs, kisses or snuggles, but that you can truly reach the core of that child's heart by spending uninterrupted time with them.

We hope that you will take time to discover not only your own love language, but also that of your child(ren), spouse and other special people in your life.