There is something I have been thinking about for a while, but I have not been able to fashion the random goulash of ideas into anything even slightly resembling concrete language. This is nothing new for me, but somedays it is harder than others to reign in my lunatic thoughts. With just 2 1/2 days of school left I am excitedly anticipating having all four kids home for the better part of 3 months. I know, I know you are thinking, "What!? Moms dread summer vacation!" I will admit at the beginning of the summer I really know that it could go either way. It could be 12 weeks of not-so scientific studies on the effects of prolonged periods of TV watching and boredom endurance analysis followed by free-for-all wrestling matches that test both skill and cunning, not to mention Mom's patience! OR It could be a season's worth of blissful play & sunshine. No schedules. No homework. No shoes and no worries! I guess I am lucky in that most of our summers have been much more of the latter than not. I don't feel qualified to give advice on keeping kids out of trouble during those long, crazy and often lazy days of summer, but I do know what works for us. Lots of creativity, imagination and freedom. Bicycles and badminton. Crayons, paint and paper. Sprinklers and sidewalk chalk. Puppet shows and dress up clothes. Backyard camp outs and neighborhood nature walks. We always pick a country and/or language to study over the summer. We try to incorporate some foods from those places into our meals too. Language CD's and books on tape are great for both road trips and running to t-ball games and swimming lessons. Last summer we played "tourist" in our own town. We went to the local visitor's center and walked around the quaint downtown. We hit all the touristy places, ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe and tried to look at our own little town with fresh eyes.
Summer is the time to put away the calendar and take the phone off the hook. Unplug the TV and dust off the BBQ. Don't dread it, embrace it! Bust out the books and the picnic blankets. Make bird feeders, catch bugs in jars and grow a garden. Sit on the porch swing. Plant flowers. Make lemonade. Take walks. Climb trees. Ride bikes. Run in the sprinklers. Get your feet dirty and drink out of the hose! Take a breath...it's summer!
Quote of the Day: "Summer is when laziness finds respectability."
~Sam Keen author
Some great suggestions! I remember summer as a kid. We spent all day outside playing. Oh to be a kid again!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions! I'll put away the calendar after camp, though, ok?! Until then, I need it to survive. Only a week left! Hope you have a great summer vacation.
ReplyDeleteI love your suggestions--and totally agree! I have always loved having my kids home during the summer and go into depression for a couple weeks when school starts back up again in the fall. With all my kids in school it always seems so lonely during the day without them here.
ReplyDeleteThanks also for your comment and support about my "dream job". I think I may get into doing event planning someday. It is a pretty expensive hobby so it would be nice to get paid. :-)
Sounds good to me. I wish I didn't have to be stuck inside at work all day!! We missed you this weekend.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget laying in a hammock! That's one of my favorite summer things to do...if the mosquitoes aren't too bad. Lay in a hammock with a book and a glass of white wine. Heaven!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me of some of the great pleasures of summer.
Jennifer
hope you're enjoying your summer! i tagged you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteSo I noticed it has been a while since you last wrote. I hope that all is well and you are busy enjoying the summer.
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