I absolutely did not understand why parents insisted on trying to make you learn anything during the summer months. For that matter why did you have to keep learning and studying after school? OK so the school system is lacking a little in creativity now that so much is demanded for students to pass standardized tests; BUT! that doesn't mean that parents, siblings, and students themselves can't seek out their own creative ways to learn and retain outside of an academic setting. Teach kids to count using hopscotch? What if you sent your kids on a treasure hunt instead of plopping them down in front of a TV and made them collect certain things from nature using a field guide? What if you encouraged a child to read a book that they enjoyed? What if it got them to love reading? What if you waited to worry about what kind of literary value the books had once the child learned to love to read? What if you played scrabble and your child learned how to spell a new word instead of playing Xbox? Many times children just want to spend time with that older sibling or parent. Attention and quality time with a loved one are great ways to place a child in a situation where they have opportunities to learn inconspicuously. Most times kids wont even be paying attention to the fact they are being made to study or learn because you have made learning fun. Find ways to think outside the box and give your sister, brother or children important life lessons and good study habits just by taking the time.