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Summer is the perfect season for spreading those independence wings. With school out and sunshine in, kids have the time and space to try doing more on their own—more exploration, more discovery, more fun! Whether it’s a solo trip to the ice cream truck, organizing a neighborhood game, pet-sitting for the first time, or practicing a new spiritual discipline, these small adventures build big confidence.
This year, some of our faculty studied the book, The Anxious Generation, which provides a research-based framework for encouraging phone-free, play-full childhood experiences to encourage independent, self-regulated, and healthy kids! The administrative team also read Beyond Biblical Integration, which encourages pairing real-world experiences with meaningful reflection as a way to grow lives of Christian faith and service. In response, we offer to you the “Let Grow Summer Experience” (adapted from The Anxious Generation team)!
Make this summer a season of “I can do it!” moments! Think back on your childhood summers. The joy of playing, the afternoons absorbed in a hobby. Or even the time something went wrong and you had to figure out what to do—and you did. It’s likely your parents believed you could handle some freedom. Their trust in you and the confidence you felt dealing with challenges is what built your resilience, bit by bit. Today, children often don’t get many chances to do things on their own. This makes it hard for them to stretch and succeed, or even bounce back from disappointments.
Proverbs 22:6 encourages us to “start children off on the right path,” and a mantra of “Let Grow” is to “don’t prepare the path for the child, prepare the child for the path.” Together, we can help build a path of experiences for your children that builds their faith, independence, and character.
The following ideas based on the Let Grow Summer Experience (with a few LM challenges thrown in), gives you and your children a whole lot of things they can start doing this summer. Some things will seem too simple. Others, too hard. Consider your children’s interests, age, abilities, and neighborhood, and discuss together what activities they can try on their own (or with a friend or sibling) without you helping or supervising. The goal is to stretch the boundaries of childhood just a little bit. When children do something new on their own, both generations get a burst of confidence. Worry gets replaced by pride and joy. It can be hard to let go, so this kit provides a little push. Be prepared for a lot of growth and the joy of seeing your child thrive!
Download these checklists and reading plans for your child, and share them with a friend! Please share with us what the experience was like for you and your child, and/or share photos with us: info@lancastermennonite.org or tag LM on social media.
