Growing up, I remember the excitement leading into summer. Time seemed to move a little slower in the summer. School was out, and my alarm clock was off. Summer meant sleeping in, lounging in front of the television, and sometimes, heading down to the beach or community pool. I think my favorite thing to do was lay out in my yard and read or tan while lazily watching the clouds pass by. It was a time to rest up, and recharge my brain.
But now, times have changed. Many students are behind in school due to the pandemic, and even before that, summer wasn’t about lounging. Reading lists were sent home on the last day of school, and articles started popping up in my newsfeed with headlines like; Teach Your Child a New Language Over Summer, Best Summer Prep Courses, and even, How to Make Sure Your Child’s Summer Isn’t a Waste.
All of that got me thinking, is summer a waste if there’s no specific goal — or measurable achievement? These days it feels like we are inundated with information coming at us from all angles — maybe a little playtime and rest and staring at clouds is exactly what my child needs? But then I think about the past year which felt so sluggish, restricted, scary, and slow. So does that mean this summer should be a push to get life back to normal, and catch up on what we missed? I know playing baseball and being outdoors is what my kiddo wants so I will follow his lead, get him off the video games and have him be active.
As parents we want what’s best for our children, but that doesn’t mean we have all the answers. I sure don’t. What do you think? And how is your child’s summer going?