How to Have an Adventurous School Year: A Guest Post by Dan and Sarah Mathews
Hardcover $22.99
Always Choose Adventure: One Couple's Journey of Chasing the Things in Life That Matter Most
Always Choose Adventure: One Couple's Journey of Chasing the Things in Life That Matter Most
By
Dan Mathews
,
Samantha Mathews
Editor
Carol Traver
In Stock Online
Hardcover $22.99
When was the last time you tried something new, exciting, or even completely unexpected…just for fun?
When was the last time you tried something new, exciting, or even completely unexpected…just for fun?
The start of a new school year brings sharpened pencils, lunchboxes, and notebooks. But what if this year looked a little different? What if you weaved adventure into your back-to-school routines?
In our book, Always Choose Adventure, we talk about how adventure isn’t just about climbing mountains or traveling the world, it’s about a mindset of trying new things in the season you’re in.
This year, instead of slipping back into routine, we want to challenge you to turn the school year into a new kind of adventure.
Start With a Morning Mission
Every morning is a fresh start! Write a “challenge” on a sticky note for your kids: compliment a friend, try a new food at school, or learn something new. It’s a small thing that reminds them that each day holds adventure if they just look for it.
Adventure Filled Afternoons
We all know homework is a common afterschool task, but what if we made other FUN things common tasks? Exploring your own backyard, building a fort out of blankets, or going on a “nature walk” around the neighborhood (where you find leaves or bugs you have never seen before). These simple yet fun tasks remind us that not everything has to be scheduled. Sometimes the best memories are the ones that are made up along the way.
Faith in the Little Things
In Always Choose Adventure, we talk about how stepping into the unknown is often where we see God move the most. Back to school can be filled with anxiety and worry (new teachers, new friends, new subjects to learn). But we’ve seen how even the smallest step of faith (like raising a hand in class or being the first to say hi to a friend) can be an act of courage that leads to something beautiful. The more we step out in faith or do something courageous, the easier it gets to do it the next time.
Weekly Adventure Nights
Every Wednesday, we do something as a family. It might be a game night after dinner, a movie night at home, or glowstick hide and seek in the basement. The whole goal is laughter and connection, because all busyness and homework aside, our family time is what we’ll all remember the most.
Remember, we don’t have to dread the school year. It can be full of adventure, new discoveries, and moments that pull your family closer together. So choose adventure, not just when it’s easy or exciting, but even in the middle of math homework and morning drop offs.