Right now I’m bracing myself for the end of the school year and the end of routine. And I’m a bit overwhelmed (though not as overwhelmed as last year) by the sea of endless, unplanned days that lies ahead of us. The idea of being the director of all things fun for the next ten (10!) weeks makes me want to grab a cupcake and find a quiet place to eat it and never come out.
And like last year I looked at some summer programs for Jack, trying to outsource the fun. I looked at camp programs and the summer program at his school. They all sounded fun and the idea of having a few hours a week to myself was really tempting.
But I know the brochures and flyers will continue to collect dust in my organizer. I know that come July I will glance at them and think of what might have been. I will calculate the hours I could have had and then toss them unceremoniously into the garbage. Because I know, I won’t be signing him up for them. Not because I don’t need the time to myself or because I don’t think he’s ready but because it’s summer.
And summer is a season that is so deeply rooted in who I am. Maybe it’s because I’m a July baby or that I grew up in a town where summer is worshiped. But each year when I look at these things I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach, one that’s louder than the voices shouting for free time, that this is summer and it is so fleeting. And that summer is a time of year to be free; to not be held back by a schedule or spending time rushing around, or for being inside a classroom. Summer is for lazy days at the beach and impromptu picnics. It’s sitting in the sun with a pile of books and a glass of lemonade. Summer is spur-of-the-moment. It’s meeting friends at the beach and venturing to new playgrounds. It’s for driving in the car with the windows down and smelling the salt air.
As a kid for me summer was as good as it got. I remember playing in the pool with my neighbors and riding my bike to the beach. I remember the radio being up too loud and lying a towel on our concrete backyard while making jewelry. I remember water balloon fights, hop-scotch and catching lightening bugs. I remember what song played on an endless loop and sitting on the beach till the sun went down. I remember an endless parade of friends and bathing suits and exploring. I remember secret missions and creating dance moves. I remember running across the street to my best friends house and drinking ice tea and eating ramen noodles. I remember a group of kids who without an agenda or structure or any planned activity thrived.
And I want all those things for Jackson. Even if right now he’s too young for most of them. Even if unsupervised play and roaming the neighborhood are years away for him, I want him to know that summer is a season of freedom. That we can wake up in the morning without a plan and let the day roll out ahead of us. I want him to know a life without structure and planned activities. I want to ask him what he wants to do today and do it. I want to break out the water table and the baby pool and all the outside toys. I want us to pack lunch and go to the beach or run through the sprinklers.
And as much as I want free time for myself. As much as I am tempted by summer plans and activities, I know that I want these things for me more than I want them for him. So this summer we are keeping our calendar clear, our minds open, and our bags packed and ready for adventures.
How are you spending your summer vacation? And to all those out there with kids going to summer camp programs know that I’m a little bit jealous of you.
Like this post, you might also enjoy: Surviving Summer Vacation with Kids
My kids are going to less camps this summer than they went to last summer. I'm also only working part time instead of full time this summer, so that has a lot to do with it- I needed the time to work last summer and camp made that possible. My oldest is going to a camp that is so up his alley- it's a science/engineering/math thing, something he doesn't get as much time to explore during the school year, so he's thrilled. But we have lots of just laid-back time built in- when we'll go to the beach, go to the pool, splash in the sprinklers. It all goes by so fast.
I think it's great that you incorporate lots of laid-back time. I think when Jack is older if there is a camp he really wants to do then we will do it.
I love this post! You really put things in perspective today! We are 4 days into summer now that my oldest son is home from school and loving the unstructured days! (if only I could get my kids to get along…..) Thanks for the reminders of what summer is really about!
Glad you enjoyed it!
So true. We only do one week max of summer camp so we can have the rest of the summer free to do whatever we want! This year it's a 3 day soccer clinic – I need a little bit of time to myself!
Oh yeah I'm definitely planning some me time into the summer, everyone needs that : )
We aren't doing camp either. In fact, I don't have much planned for the summer at all. The summer to me is about relaxing and that is what I plan on doing!
Enjoy the time to relax!
My kiddo's camp is free, and brief – twenty 3 hour days in July where they mostly swim indoors. They love that so much that I'm thrilled they get it. And we need to do summer homeschooling – don't want them to lose their skill set! Other than that, I'll be kicking back with them in the yard, working at night and sleeping in. IF they let me, that is..
That sounds like a great camp, and free that's pretty awesome!
I completely see the allure of having no set schedule and being able to relax and go with the summer flow. With that said, my family would last about a week doing that (because we are all so type A) and then we would be at each other's throats. So camp is a brilliant solution for families like mine! My kids have a blast and we shoot for the relaxing on weekends!
Camp is perfect for a family like yours, enjoy your summer.
We do a lot of traveling in the summer so we choose not to do so many camps but now that my boys are older I have them in weekly sports camps but have weeks of just down time too. When my boys were younger we didn't do as many camps.
My son is younger so there aren't really any sports activities for him yet. We did a small gym class this spring that we might do again but it's not a drop off activity.
We have a pool membership for the second year in a row. I signed 2 kids up for scout camp, though one may be cancelled since they don't have enough registrations.
When I was growing up, I went to this fantastic summer camp out in the country. Sure we did stuff, and we also spent time just looking for stuff in the creek or trying the arts and crafts. The schedule was so loose.
That sounds like a great camp that you went to as a kid.
I have no idea what we are doing this summer yet. I know we have a couple of little trips planned. I would love to sign my daughter up for some classes.
We did a really fun music class one summer when Jack was about 18 months. Every year we do swim lessons because living by the ocean it's necessary.