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The time of year nearly all kids wait on has arrived! While it’s not officially summer yet, to most kids summer’s here. In kids’ minds, summer starts with the last day of school. Remember back years ago waiting for the start of summer? Seemed like it would never arrive. Three months of leisure time and a chance to sleep in, no homework, after school programs, or any deadlines to meet. Just an enjoyable summer season filled with fun.

The last few weeks of May always signified the end of the school’s final semester. While that meant pressure surrounding finals and grades, it also meant that summer was getting closer.

Another year has gone by for area schools and kids are out on the ballfields, ready for the swimming pools, and spending time with friends. They’re out on the streets again and out playing, bike riding, staying up late, sleeping in, and getting ready for vacations, fairs and festivals. 

Summer time is a great opportunity for youth to run, skip, jump and have fun. But it’s also a time when we should take our children to the library for the summer program, let them learn new skills through their participation in camps, day programs or Vacation Bible School.

It is a special time to sit back, relax and allow nature’s rhythms to reassert their authority over clock and calendar. 

Summer is a great time to just relax, but, the down time or time away from all the responsibilities is not always good, it can also be a burden. Just hanging out and doing absolutely nothing can lead to trouble. Too much idle time is not healthy.

It’s always best to have some supervision over the younger kids during the summer months and maybe encourage the older ones to start thinking about the future. There are all kinds of things to keep kids occupied. Speaking of volunteerism, every community has opportunities for kids to get involved. It might be a good thing for kids to start helping out instead of hanging out. It can be a rewarding experience, one that could carry over to their adult life.

Helping out is a good way to spend time and can lead to an education not found in the classroom. You will meet different people, who will help prepare you for activities that you can use as adults.

Of course, the summer is a long break, and teens should try to take advantage of the time. Use your time wisely, get plenty of rest, sleep in occasionally, take a vacation, maybe take a part-time job for a little extra cash. The festivals are a great way to go out with friends, listen to some great music and just enjoy the vibes of summer.

There are plenty of easy, fun things to do, and plenty of time to do them. Stay safe, get recharged, and have a great summer.

Summer vacation is a time of rest, vacation and trips, and a time with family. It is a time of trying new things and seeking adventure. Summer seems made for fun but, with all of that time off, all of the adventures sought, summer can also be a time of danger if a person isn’t careful.

From children swimming and riding bikes to teens driving late on the roads to adults trying adventurous feats for the first time, summer can be filled with dangerous situations. One should not avoid these activities, but be safe doing them.

Have summer fun but follow the rules.

Watch children swimming.

Teach youngsters the rules of the road for bicycles while motorists should keep in mind that youngsters are out of school and outdoors playing.

Heed all precautions if entering an adventure.

These safeguards cannot guarantee a danger-free summer, but they can reduce the possibilities of accidents.

A few precautions may create a summer of fine memories rather than a summer of tragic regrets.

Time marches on at a fast pace. Soon enough, children will be dusting off their school bags and books, hefting loaded backpacks, and filing into classrooms. Not so very long after that, the young ones will be grown, trading in packed lunch boxes for caps, gowns and diplomas.

So during this glorious summer (and remember, for a child, every summer is glorious), slow down and savor the days that stretch ahead – and make this vacation a safe and happy one.