This past weekend was a small glimpse into the adventures that summer has in store for us. Filled with sunshine, dirt, sweat, sunscreen, streams, and playgrounds. We had meltdowns and melting ice cream. Exhaustion and excitement. Stress and joy.
You see, usually, I am sucked into the trap of having to do it all. Sign up the kids for week-long themed summer camps, plan multiple trips, get amusement park and zoo memberships and honestly? We don’t use them nearly as much as we expect and it is exhausting for me and the kids. We get so caught up in always having to have some “big adventure” that we lose sight of the little moments. If we aren’t doing something big and exciting, the Os-lings are complaining of boredom and wanting to be in front of a screen. This weekend taught me exactly where we have been going wrong.
This year, we won’t get memberships. We won’t go on big trips but maybe a few small overnights that don’t require extensive planning and stress.
This year, we will enjoy the small moments. We will get dirty and splash in creeks and sprinkler parks. We will check out libraries. We will spend the day soaking in the pool. I will send the kids outside to play until dinner. We will visit new playgrounds and eat breakfast at new diners. We will explore all of the wonderful local orchards, farms, state parks, and swimming holes. We will set up a sprinkler and a wading pool and camp out in our yard for the day. We will have campfires, roast marshmallows, see fireworks and eat ice cream and popsicles. When we take time to slow down, we see that the small, simple things are what give our kids the most joy.
While we debated about which membership to buy this weekend we wasted most of our day. We decided to go to a new park where the kids found a small stream and had the most amazing time splashing, wading and exploring. They got wet in their clothes and ran in fields to dry off in the grass. We laid in the sun and looked up at the clouds and I realized how much that sweet smell of sunscreen and baby sweat won’t last forever. And you know what? Our Os-lings haven’t stopped talking about our day! They want to go back. They crave the freedom and exploration that we are so eager to minimize and eliminate from their days in an effort to “create fun”.
So, this summer will be different. This summer I won’t have big goals. I won’t make big plans. I won’t add stress that carries over into our days where everyone spends so much energy planning big excursions that we don’t actually enjoy them. We as the parents spend so much time just getting a day trip planned and executed. I stress about keeping all my Os-lings accounted for. Packing. Prepping. Rushing. Just to arrive and have that stress carry over into the activities for all of us.
No. Not this year.
Instead, I will realize that I have a handful of summers left with all 3 Os-lings before our big girl becomes a full-blown teen with friends, a job, a license….eek.
I will realize that my kids don’t care how much I spent on the day’s events. They don’t care if I spent hundreds for a day at the amusement park or if we explore a new park, swing until they reach the sky, and eat warm PBJ’s.
I will realize that some of the best days are letting them explore and play and just BE at home. Splash, swim, get dirty, nap, explore, pretend, imagine, build, create.
As much as I know the end is coming for these summer days, I know that they will miss them too. They don’t know it now, but it is my job to give them memories that they can look back on and feel lucky to have had the childhood they did.
Although I have the best intentions, I know we will have more than our share of days with way too much screen time. Come August I will read this post and laugh at having such idealistic views of our summer days….(is it time for school yet?!) I will start some days with too much coffee and end it drinking wine. I will question if I really am blessed for being able to spend our summers together? I mean seriously, what am I thinking?!
I should sign them up for ALL. THE. CAMPS.
I will have moments of regret for our decision for small moments when my Facebook feed is filled with adventures and vacations of friends. But, I know, that this is what my family needs this year.
It may not always be easy but our choices to change our lifestyle to focus on small moments and less extravagance will pay off. We will instill the importance of moments instead of money and objects. They will know that we played, laughed, and fought…but we enjoyed being with one another.
So, here’s to a summer with less stress. Here’s to a summer of relaxing (as much as you can with 3 kids). Here’s to a summer of exploring and playing…really PLAYING. Here’s to a summer of soaking in that sweaty, sunscreen kid smell. Here’s to dirty, happy kids. Here’s to PB&J’s for lunch and ice cream sundaes for dinner. Here’s to a summer of not doing it all.
But just in case…
I’ll have wine popsicles stashed in the freezer!
Are you up for the challenge with us this summer?
Follow along on our summer adventures on Instagram at osling_chronicles
