Do your kids do summer workbooks?

[dejr_8]

Our kids have been doing summer workbooks since 1st grade and I think it helps keep their skills sharp.

Now the next question is what rules do you use to get them to do actually do the work. In our house, you can't play video games until your workbook is done.

 

[MAKmom]

We just do Summer reading & they have to be tested on it before school starts. If they start workbooks I'll cry.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't make them, although I do buy them with the intention of making them I just make sure they read a little bit every day (most days anyway). I set aside a time that all 3 of them can sit and read for 20-30 minutes, that way they aren't distracting eachother. My dd is older and she is pretty much free to read when she wants but my dses need to have a time scheduled in or they won't do it.
If I was making them do their workbooks, I would do the same thing.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I don't make them, although I do buy them with the intention of making them I just make sure they read a little bit every day (most days anyway). I set aside a time that all 3 of them can sit and read for 20-30 minutes, that way they aren't distracting eachother. My dd is older and she is pretty much free to read when she wants but my dses need to have a time scheduled in or they won't do it.
If I was making them do their workbooks, I would do the same thing.

This is what we do. I buy the workbooks every year with great intentions. She starts them and stops about 10 pages in. As long as she is reading and finishing the summer bookreports that are required, then I'm good.

 

[ReneeA]

I usually give them a week or 2 of break after the last day of school, then I print off math and language worksheets off the internet for them to work on. I don't overdo it - they typically have 1 or 2 worksheets a day to work on. DS needs some reinforcement on his multiplication tables, so he'll have to take timed drills a couple times a week. We make those fun by giving out prizes when he gets them right within a minute.

 

[Magic Mom]

Yes, although I'm not as consistent on making her as I would like to be. This year though our school district subscribed to Compass Learning. It's an online skills tutorial linked to their MAP scores. Their skill scores are used to determine what tutorials are assigned to each individual student. They use it in class but we can also access it at home. It is amazing. DD's math MAP scores jumped 18 points and her reading scores 13. DD says it is fun and gladly does an hour every day (well almost everday)

If she doesn't work over the summer months it shows dramatically the next school year. She slides a lot. For her it's a must. Good thinh she's OK with it, or summers would be no fun.

 

[claudia]

Never made my kids do anything over summer....just have fun.....

 

[dejr_8]

Never made my kids do anything over summer....just have fun.....

WHAT kind of a parent are you!

 

[design_mom]

Our school (well, the PTO) provides summer workbooks. They're called Summer Brain Games. My kids usually do a page or two per day.

The kids get "points" for each page that they do (some pages are worth more points than others). Parents tally the points and send the tally sheet back to school at the beginning of the next school year. Kids who earn a certain number of points receive a $5 gift certificate to the school's book fair.

I don't generally have to do too much cajoling... and they love to earn an "extra book" at the book fair.

 

[Magic Mom]

WHAT kind of a parent are you!

Who said something was wrong with parents who don't make their kids do worksheets? Why does every thread have to turn into an us against them debate.

and FTR, kids can do schoolwork during the summer and have fun. It's amazing how that works out.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Except for the weeks the kids are at camp and when we're traveling, our kids do a little bit of math work a couple of times a week during the summer. This helps retain the math facts and skills they work with during the school year. It's no big deal. They'll do their page(s) first thing in the morning, and then are free the rest of the day. It's only a couple of days each week, just enough to keep their brains active with math skills.

Both kids read on their own for fun. I don't ask them to do school related reading during the summer.

Our summer is mostly spent having sun and fun at the pool.

 

[MAKmom]

Who said something was wrong with parents who don't make their kids do worksheets? Why does every thread have to turn into an us against them debate.

and FTR, kids can do schoolwork during the summer and have fun. It's amazing how that works out.

ummm... I think you took that the wrong way they sent good vibes to each other The smiles all have names & meanings, if you put your mouse over it you can see it.

 

[SaraJayne]

Never made my kids do anything over summer....just have fun.....

Same here.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

My kids spend at least 1 hour per day on educational activities. They usually do 1/2 hour of math and 1/2 hour of something else which includes spanish, journal, english etc. I had to tell them reading doesn't count or that is all they would do. They will still read about 2 hours a day on their own.

Educational time has to come before screen time each week day. I give them weekends off.

We still have plenty of time for fun! My oldest DS will often work on his math much longer than he needs to just because he likes it. He does aleks math online. We do pay $20.00 per month for it. He likes it so much it is worth is for us.

 

[aprilgail2]

We just do Summer reading & they have to be tested on it before school starts. If they start workbooks I'll cry.

Me too!!!

Never made my kids do anything over summer....just have fun.....

Me either- summers are for kicking back and having fun-I don't make her do workbooks of any type and "summer reading" assignments are given out early in June before school ends and she knocks that out before school ends so we don't have to have that crap hanging over head during the summer! She reads duringthe summer- but she reads what she wants- not the lame list that they have to choose from for school

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

My kids actually request them(they're weird) and finish them the first week or so.

 

[MineMail]

My kids were in a bunch of camps last year. For the first time in many, many years, I didn't buy them the "Summer Bridge" workbooks. I didn't force them to do the workbooks, but they never finished them. They were great for long trips, much better than playing video games or watching movies in the van.

I'm on the fence about this year - I don't want to buy the middle-school workbooks and have them go to waste. Yet, I think they do better in school if they keep up with their skills.

Between camps and vacation, they won't be "free" until August. I might have them do a study-skills course and play it by ear this summer. Maybe just a few worksheets or online tutorials.

We have been going to the library every week and it's amazing how the TV stays off when they have "new" things to read. As I've pointed out many times, you can always catch the 222nd rerun of that Sponge Bob episode another time, lol.

 

[dejr_8]

Who said something was wrong with parents who don't make their kids do worksheets? Why does every thread have to turn into an us against them debate.

and FTR, kids can do schoolwork during the summer and have fun. It's amazing how that works out.

My post was HUMOR (notice the good vibes). Perhaps someone hasn't had their cup of coffee yet.

 

[Magic Mom]

My post was HUMOR (notice the good vibes). Perhaps someone hasn't had their cup of coffee yet.

Maybe I've had too many cups?

 

[Anjelica]

I have in the past summers but we signed my daughter up at Sylvan for Math this summer (4 hours a week) so I haven't had her do much of any workbook. She is reading about a book and a half a week (Junie B. Jones type books, etc.) on her own - and what keeps her motivated to do that is the Borders read 10 books get 1 free they have running.

If she wasn't in Sylvan I would have her do more of the workbooks, etc.