My kids didn't do their summer homework. I don't regret how we spent our break, but I still feel slightly guilty.

Courtesy Kris Ann Valdez

My daughter is in first grade and comes from a long line of late readers, so I tried not to worry about her low reading test scores at the end of the year. Still, I agreed she could use some extra practice, and at the end of the school year, I looked her teacher directly in the eye and promised I'd do what I could to help improve her reading skills over the summer.