Summer Challenge-Week 1 Review

Insight, stories, and possible some guidance for the week 1 program

MONDAY RESET | WEEK 1
Observation & Curiosity

We kicked off the Mysterious Summer Society this week. Not with a perfect plan. Not with a printed schedule taped to the fridge. If you missed it, check out the first post to learn more about the challenge!

Just with a book, a challenge, and a walk.

We started reading Chapters 1–3 of The Mysterious Benedict Society. I love trying out different voices — but when new characters show up, it’s a scramble to match the voice to their personality.

Sticky and Mr. Benedict? Crushed it.
Number Two and Rhonda? Struggled. But I think it’s good for the boys to see me working through something with obvious imperfection. They even give feedback — which is mostly helpful.

The themes this week: observation, uniqueness, and perception.

🕵️‍♂️ Spy Notebook Challenge:
Each of us tracked something curious every day — odd signs, weird behavior, funny moments. A few gems:

• Cooper saw a squirrel staring down a dog

• Hunter noticed a house with six bird feeders

• Jackson said, “There’s a guy who walks backward past our house every morning.” (Still unconfirmed.)

Our two daily swim team drives have become the perfect time for challenge conversations. I’ve found that sprinkling these in throughout the week works better than doing it all in one swoop.

💬 “What makes Reynie different?”
Cooper: “He notices things other people don’t.”
Hunter: “He thinks before he talks.”
Jackson: “He’s the smartest kid without trying to be the coolest.”

💬 “Why does paying attention matter?”
Hunter: “Because then you don’t miss the clues.”
Jackson: “Because most people aren’t.”

🚶‍♂️ Silent Sensory Walk
Drew sat this one out — I love him, but silence is not in his playbook.

The rest of us walked the neighborhood in silence for five minutes. It was amazing what we noticed:

• I heard four distinct bird calls I’ve never paid attention to before

• Hunter tracked the pitch of car engines

• Jackson spotted more cats than we knew lived here

• Cooper… said the sidewalk smelled like toast (???)

We debriefed during dinner outside — same sounds, same space, but now… noticed.

And somehow, the conversation shifted. They started naming what they were grateful for. Where we live. What we get to do. That we were all outside together.

That wasn’t in the plan.
But maybe that’s the point.

This isn’t about nailing a perfect challenge.
It’s about presence.
It’s about helping our kids notice what matters — in the story and in the world around them.

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📥 Program Download → [CLICK HERE]
You’ll get:

• Chapter Questions with Episode

• Spy Notebook Challenge

• Kinesthetic Challenge

• Dinner questions

Jump in. No pressure. No prep packets. Just a chance to notice what matters — together.