Look, here they are. Can you believe that? The EVIL IDIOT BOX is even on in the background.
I am often amazed at how different life is for children today than it was when we were growing up. Yes, give me my walker, I'm launching into the uphill 5 miles both ways diatribe. Seriously though, I clearly remember summer vacations. We watched television. We rode our bikes to the library to check out books to read. We played outside. We played inside. We just played. We went to vacation Bible school. We swam at the neighbor's house. Occasionally we went to camp, and sometimes we took road trips as a family. But mostly, we just enjoyed being out of school.
Nowadays, as summer nears, everyone asks, "What do have planned for Aaron for the summer?" And what do I find myself doing? Well planning things for Aaron for the summer, of course. Things like learning another language or two. Going to art camp, and music camp, and adventure camp, and Cub Scout twilight camp, and of course, vacation bible school. Oh, let's not forget summer reading clubs at two different libraries, as well as Half Price Books.
Wow, that makes me tired just typing it. When did we decide that it was so necessary for our children to eke every possible enrichement out of every single second, instead of just being lazy and being kids?
I'm feeling fortunate this summer because I've been forced, at least a bit, to reconsider many of the plans I was looking at. I'm planning a vacation for Aaron and myself, that is going to be something he is going to remember for the rest of his life, I guarantee. More details on that later, as plans are finalized. The point is, that vacation is going to cost money, and because of that, I'm not signing up Aaron for many of the other camps and such I had been looking at. He still has plenty to keep him busy over these next months, don't get me wrong. He's wanting to learn a language or two still, but he'll be doing that mostly on his own. He'll still be doing the reading clubs, and twilight camp, and vacation bible school
But most importantly? He'll be doing lots of swimming, and going to the library, and engaging in lots of tv watching and unstructured play.
Summer as it should be.
2 comments:
I think unstructured play is important. Especially during their summer break!
Gaby is going to summer day camp for a month -- it's basically just a big play time, hey go on field trips, to the pool, etc. And then she goes to summer school half day for a month, and the other half of the day we'll have unstructured play time.
And then we go on vacation, both for a friend's wedding and then to visit my parents for a week and a half.
She's also taking swimming lessons this summer, once a week for six weeks.
But it's the first time she's ever really had any time off, because she's always been in a preschool or daycare setting. She's looking forward to the break, and so am I, honestly.
Oh yes, I forgot the swimming lessons. Those are actually going on this week.
Clayton hasn't had as much free time either as Aaron has, actually, as he has spent more time in daycare than Aaron did. I'm trying to keep him home this summer though as much as I can, before school starts in the fall. In any case, he will be finished with daycare come August, as Grandpa will be providing afterschool care for both on the days that I can't.
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