By Marcy Stenstrom
When I was a kid, summer seemed so much longer than three months and it was a celebration of freedom. No sitting still and listening, memorizing quiz answers or fighting with parents over homework and bedtime. It was a swimsuit day every day and if we didn’t go to the lake a lawn sprinkler served as our own personal oasis complete with water wars. But then there was the dreaded dirty word: summer school.
My brother had to take a class in summer once for some extra help in reading and spelling. He took it well and went sans kicking or screaming. I went once, in the third or fourth grade, for the fun of it. A friend of mine declared herself an aspiring actress and wanted to take the summer school theater class. She didn’t want to go by herself so she talked me into begging my parents to sign me up too. Several ironies occurred. My friend and I ended up being placed into separate classes and I found out that acting, singing, and dancing wasn’t my thing. The only other memory I have is performing in the class musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and, much to my disliking but to the amusement of the director, I was given the one-line role of Marcie!!
Today it seems that children of all grade levels are involved in every organized summer activity available. Swim lessons are available for infants who can barely hold their heads up and kindergartners are enrolled in summer kick ball practice. I never needed organized practice to kick a playground ball but then maybe I was an exception. These kinds of activities, while attempting to teach teamwork and good sportsmanship, can also be overloading and exhausting for everyone. There seems to be less time for spontaneous, imaginative self-discovery. (Like the many uses for a garden hose and lawn sprinkler.) Despite what I feel about extracurriculars for young children, I am an advocate for constant learning.
Agreeably we’re concerned with keeping the kids busy in the summer so as not to forget what they’ve learned throughout the year or to learn a new skill. Sports and the arts are very popular but I think religious education always gets left by the wayside. We want so desperately to socialize our kids, even our babies, to be able to communicate and build networks of friendships. We think we can eliminate shyness and create outgoing personalities that will excel in multitasking. But I don’t see shyness as a weakness. The thing that I want most for my children is for them to be a good person, the person that God wants them to be. Among all these other choices to enlighten our children and offer them a plethora of learning skills, we often forget the need for constant religious education. I believe this should be the top priority.
Students will often say that they don’t learn anything in CCD. It is not that they don’t learn anything but more likely that they don’t remember. The reason for forgetting may be because the lessons and theology is not reiterated at home and also because CCD classes are only once a week and stops for summer vacation. This is where bible school can be a fun and unique way for elementary aged children to socialize and not only retain but also learn something about our faith. St. Therese has a one-week vacation bible school program beginning Monday August 3rd through Friday August 7th. It is authentically Catholic and also creative; hint: think green. A generous parishioner donor has taken care of the program’s cost so that it is entirely free for students to attend. (Thank you, Anonymous Donor!!) Each class takes place in the morning and includes a snack. If there isn’t time in your schedule this summer to prioritize your child’s religious education, pray about this and plan on it for next summer. If we are vigilant with our child’s faith learning and show how important their prayer life is for their soul, vacation bible school will not be a dirty word.