It’s either already happened or it’s coming up in a matter of weeks: School’s out, and a summer of possibility stretches out in front of your family. For most of us parents, what should ideally be a time of long, lazy fun-filled days may instead be a frenetic schedule of daycare, camps, or other activities. Worse, it may contain that awful battle cry, a parent’s biggest kryptonite. You know what I’m talking about. “Mom, I’m boooooored!”

Worried yet? Well, it just may be time to check out Scholastic’s Summer Reading Buzz, an interactive site designed to keep your kids reading all summer long. Here’s what you need to know:

The goal of Summer Reading BUZZ! is to get kids to read four or more books this summer to prevent the “summer slide,” which is what it’s called when kids lose skills over the summer due simply to being out of school. The web site [has] lots of interactive features, a book log where kids can keep track of how many books they’ve read, videos from celebrities who talk about books that they loved growing up, a Buzz Toons area where kids can submit their artwork to be animated by Scholastic, a sweepstakes prize from American Airlines for the whole family and more!

Also, for every four books a kid reads, Scholastic will donate a book to Reading is Fundamental, who then gives a book to a kid who may not otherwise be able to afford one of his own.

My kids regularly do the summer reading program at our local library, but as they become more computer-savvy I think they’ll really dig the added features that the Summer Reading Buzz site will afford them.

Want even more online book-happy goodness? The Buzz site is presented in cooperation with Target, who also hosts the Ready. Sit. Read! site (which is very cute, but also loud and busy—you have been warned). Your child may enjoy some of the features there, and every parent looking to get kids excited about reading should check out their reading tips section.

So get your kids reading, and having fun, and helping to provide books for less fortunate kids. Sounds like a perfect way to spend the summer, to me!

You’re never going to hear me claiming to be the greatest mother in the world. Oh, I love my kids and I try to give them what they need (be that a hug or a metaphorical kick in the behind, as appropriate), but let’s face it: Parenting is tricky business. I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but kids are always changing. Every time I think I’ve finally figured them out, they grow and change and bring home a whole host of new issues! Sheesh! The little ingrates. Don’t they realize that on the rare occasion when I’ve mastered something with them, they should stop growing for a little while? Hmph.

Anyway, my kids have had a busy few weeks. They’ve weathered it all like champs, but I as we zipped around town on various errands on Saturday, I could see that the strain was getting to them. “Can’t we just go home for a while?” begged my son. “Just stay at home and play with our stuff?” I felt a stab of guilt. Our house is on the market right now, so in addition to our usual hectic schedule, we often have to vacate for showings. When we are home, I can usually be found sniping at the children to stop making a mess because there’s another showing coming up.

So yesterday, I gave us all the day off. “Here’s what we need to do today,” I announced when I got up. This is not an unusual way for me to herald a list of to-do items, and the children eyed me warily. “Absolutely nothing!” I continued.

“Can we stay in our pajamas?” my daughter asked.

“Sure,” I said.

“Can we play Webkinz for an HOUR?” asked my son.

“Sure!” I said.

“Can we take out all our toys?” my daughter wheedled, eager to find the breaking point.

“Yup,” I said. “You can do whatever you want, all day. We just need to clean up before bed.”

Jubilation ensued.

And you know what? It was an awesome day for me, too. The kids played with just about every toy they own, I read an entire novel, and we played together and read together and had a blast.

Today, it’s back to the grind for all of us; work for me, school for them. But yesterday was a nice little vacation, and we didn’t even have to get dressed.