Summer vacation is here, but my brain never shuts off when it comes to teaching.  I'm always thinking how I can make things more efficient, and coming up with new to do lists. I'm always promising myself that this will be the year that I keep my blog up to date. It's really hard for me to shut the teaching side of my brain off and relax.

This brings me to something that has really stood out for me last summer.  It has been so much harder to shut it off because of social media.  While I'm so grateful for all of the collaborating that goes on during the school year thanks to Instagram, blogs, and Facebook.  It is difficult to find balance in this teaching world. I know that as teachers, we're planners and have a to-do list that's a mile long. We want to be ready and make the next year better than ever.

I challenge you to turn off your "teacher" brain, put down your computer, and be "in the moment."  It's summer, time to sleep in and stay up late.  Run in the sprinklers, get some frozen  yogurt, bbq in your backyard with your family and play some board games.  Be touristy and explore your town.  Catch up on your favorite shows and don't feel guilty about it.  Take a day trip.  Lounge around the house and be comfortable with doing nothing.  Enjoy the giggles of children and the company of your family.

Make memories and look back on this summer as a great one.  Are you going to remember this summer as one spent on your computer or as one living in the moment?  I am choosing to live in the moment with a few splashes of planning and organizing thrown in of course.  After all, I am a teacher.