Our summer reading list

Yeah, summer is finally here! That means, lazy days, swimming, library, giggles & laughter fill the house ALL day long. Flip flops seem to multiple like bunnies around here. Do they at your house?




Well our school does not put out a summer reading list, I know! That was my thought. So as a good mom I started looking at other school's reading list (I love the Internet). Well I discovered 2 things.
1) my youngest 2 daughters had read almost EVERYTHING on suggested reading list for their age group
2). I questioned did I really want to "make" my oldest read when she has not discovered the joy of reading for herself yet.
Well as I thought more about this I decided to make my own summer reading list for my girls, taking advantage of their free time and being intentionally about passing on our beliefs to my girls. So I sat them down individually & explained that I was "assigning" them each two books to read & that I would be taking each daughter out alone for a "Starbucks" coffee date with me, to discuss the books that they are reading at least 2 times for each daughter before August. I then told each daughter the privilege that she would earn or forfeit at the end of the summer upon completing or failing to complete the reading assignment.




The oldest daughter going Into High School next year, two books that i assigned her were: 1) Guys are waffles, girls are spaghetti, by Chad Eastham




(the book talks about the difference in behavior & how the opposite sex views the world-Very important I believe since my daughter has no brothers to learn from just day to day observation.)
2) the second book is "wait for me" by Rebecca St. James




We told her that if she read these two books we will allow her to date her sophomore year of high school. (on a case by case bases). I thought she would be thrilled since oldest daughter will not be 16 until the week school starts her Junior year! My parents did not let me date until the day I turned 16. (since she is young for her grade, we always try to treat her like her peer group, not necessarily her "age". Because she is expected to act & take on responsibilities of her peer group we would like to extend privileges that are somewhat similar to her peer group - that in-line with our values. Insert, eye rolling here. She thought it was a dumb idea to read the books since it would be a year until she could date, but I explained going into High School she would be getting to "observe" dating relationships and I wanted to give her food for thought, basically so she could watch & learn some things for herself, to help maybe spare her from some potholes of life that might be around the bend. Ahh, parenting teenagers is so humbling!!
The second daughter , who is going into middle school I assigned the following two books:
1). Secret keeper:the delicate power of modesty by Dannah Gresh




2) the second book is "a girl after God's own heart" by Elizabeth George




Which is written into small chapter bible study. (a chapter is about 1 1/2 - 2 & 1/2 pages long) not to hard.
This princess will get her bedtime moved up 30 minutes when school starts if she has completed the reading.




The youngest daughter, going into 4th grade, I assigned the following books:
1) the same "secret keeper: the delicate power of modesty" by Dannah Gresh




The second book, well I haven't found the right fit yet. I am going shopping on Friday to get some actual hands on some books and get a chance to compare. I will let you know after I buy it.
The youngest princess will get her bedtime moved up 30 minutes during school time, if she completes the reading.
I am very excited to to get to visit with each of my girls as we sip coffee & snack. I am setting aside this time to be both fun and interactive and intentional parenting to "impress my children with the love and nature of God". (paraphrased from the book "Parenting beyond your capacity" by Reggie Joiner & Carey Nieuwhof.
What do you do intentionally to pass a Godly legacy on to your children?