Jennifer Lambert

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You are here: Home / Family / How To Have an Easy Summer

How To Have an Easy Summer

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May 29, 2017 By Jennifer Lambert 28 Comments

Summer is here and I’m not ready.

I don’t have any Summer Bridge workbooks, pool noodles, or a horde of empty plastic containers for crafts.

We homeschool year-round, but we take lots of breaks to take advantage of weather, travel opps…really, just whenever we feel like it.

Since when did summer become this huge reality TV-worthy contest of who has the coolest crafts, funnest activities, most experiences?

I know Pinterest and other social media just feed that beast.

I’m tired of feeling like I have to spend tons of time and money to make my kids happy because the world tells me I should.

I vow to have an easier summer.

You won’t see me competing this year to win the mom of the season (not that I’ve ever entered into the craftalympics, ever).

I guess I grew up in a different time when summer wasn’t about cramming for the next school year. My mom didn’t do a craft fair with the entire neighborhood. No one organized block parties to do themed summer day camps. I never even attended VBS.

I survived summers on cherry Popsicles, fishing for crawdads in the {forbidden} creek, riding my banana-seat cruiser bike all over town, dancing in muddy gutters when it rained, and mooching bologna and cheese white-bread sandwiches (with yellow mustard) off my friends’ moms at lunchtime.

My mom didn’t know where I was most days. I pushed the limits and escaped into trees, the winding creek beds of the Flint River, the dirt bike lot. The boundaries were only the busy Lake Harbin and Lanier Roads. I didn’t have chores or an allowance. I didn’t have a job until I was 16. Summers were about freedom.

I was free range, baby.

Kids these days are being stifled with overplanning and busyness.

How We Will Have an Easy Summer

We will read books we like.

I don’t plan to quiz my children on math facts or Latin rules. I don’t want to plan a homeschool theme for next year. I don’t want to create another planner I shall never, ever use. We will still take trips to the library. We will stock up our Kindle app. We will read for fun.

I will to take my kids to the pool.

No, not that expensive water park with the rainforest theme and $15 non-food nachos at the concession. Just a neighborhood pool. We have several options to choose from in our city. And there are creeks and lakes to explore. Or we will buy a cheap plastic one and splash in the back yard. Water play is a summer must-do!

We will bake and create together.

I actually like spending time with my kids. When our school year reaches that transition point, we celebrate with cookies and paint! Art too often gets pushed aside for math and reading and history. We love to try and create new recipes together. We have no excuses to play and make messes!

Riding bikes is still fun.

I want my kids to know the freedom of riding bikes (or roller blading or scootering) around the neighborhood, playing outside, and not coming home until the streetlights come on. And they can do that in our town!

Exploring nature is learning.

We have great hiking trails and woods and a creek right in our backyard. My kids aren’t as fearless as I was to go out on their own, so I will take them exploring often this summer until they feel more comfortable on their own. We love the creek that runs through our village!

Bored? It’s ok to be bored.

No incriminating boredom jar with chores or planned activities. No threats or punishments for using a “bad” word. We don’t use rewards or punishments in our home. I refuse to be my kids’ activity director. They can use their imaginations, toys, arts and crafts supplies, the great outdoors, and play. Just like I did when I was young. Boredom is the great motivator.

No Guilt

If the kids are on their iPads a lot…listening to Spotify, or playing apps and computer games for hours, it’s ok. If they want to spend hours on Netflix, it’s ok. If my teen wants to chat online for ages with acquaintances all over the world, it’s ok.

If I sometimes do it, why can’t kids?

I refuse to have a checklist of items my kids must do in order to earn screentime.

Summer is about down time. Summer is doing whatever you want.

I have great summer memories and they don’t involve money or making gigantic larger-than-life dice or humongous Scrabble patio games.

My memories are mostly simple ones, like catching fireflies in a jar, camping in the backyard, playing in the sprinkler, watching clouds and birds, riding my bike everywhere. Also, binge watching B movies on Channel 17, AMC, Turner Classics. And MTV, when it actually played music videos.

I want my kids to appreciate the simple.

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Comments

  1. Michele Morin says

    May 30, 2017 at 2:26 pm

    YES!
    When my kids used to tell me they were bored, I would say, “Wonderful!”
    Boredom is where all the great discoveries and harmless mischief comes from.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:45 pm

      Yes! I love to see what they come up with.

      Reply
  2. Jenny @ Unremarkable Files says

    May 30, 2017 at 6:50 pm

    Great post! Pinterest definitely feeds the beast but I like how you said that summer is about doing what you want, when you want. You’ll have to go back to being on someone else’s schedule come September. Enjoy freedom while you can!
    #MMBH

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 30, 2017 at 8:08 pm

      Some have to go on a different schedule come fall, but we don’t have to! We homeschool/unschool.

      Reply
  3. Laura says

    May 30, 2017 at 8:56 pm

    My childhood was similar…except that in the summers my dad had cable disconnected so we’d be more motivated to get outside or be inventive inside. :D

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 31, 2017 at 10:42 am

      That would be a motivator! haha!

      Reply
  4. Debbie Kitterman says

    May 30, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    Jennifer, I love this! Summer really is a time to relax and do what you want! I love the idea of taking your kids exploring until they’re comfortable enough to do it on their own! Thanks for the great post! We’re neighbors today on Soul Survival Linkup!

    PS.. if you are looking for another place to link to on Thursday’s I would love if you would consider joining my new linkup #TuneInThursday – it opens Thursday 3am PST and runs through Sunday night. you can find it at debbiekitterman.com/blog (Please feel free to delete the link if you think it inappropriate).

    Reply
    • Debbie Kitterman says

      June 8, 2017 at 6:05 am

      Jen, it was so great to see you at #TuneInThursday linkup this week! I hope to see you next time!

      Reply
  5. Mother of 3 says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:11 am

    We live on a lake and while we homeschool year round other than doing a couple pages in a math workbook to keep skills fresh and reading some fun books together we tend to just swim, play, and enjoy lazy days by the lake. Occasionally I’ll throw in a fun science or art project that was too messy to attempt indoors but that’s about it. Slow, easy summers are just fine by me!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 1, 2017 at 10:09 am

      Oh, I wish we lived on a lake!

      Reply
  6. Lisa/Syncopated Mama says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Woo-hoo on all of this! I think everyone benefits from a little unplugging from the regular schedule — and the break usually means everyone gets excited for the schedule to resume again in the fall!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 1, 2017 at 10:09 am

      Yes, we need natural cycles to be healthiest.

      Reply
  7. Emily @ The Mommyhood Moments says

    June 1, 2017 at 6:25 pm

    YES! I love this. Summer for me may be planning some stuff for “preschool” next fall, but for the little, I’m letting her be little. <3 Go mama! Have an awesome summer & thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Have an awesome summer! Preschool time is so precious.

      Reply
  8. Liz Rigby says

    June 2, 2017 at 7:02 am

    See, that sounds like a great summer to me :) Thank you for sharing over at the #warriorlinkup <3

    Reply
  9. Sarah Koontz says

    June 2, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    It’s ok to be bored. I tell my kiddos this all the time! I agree, we tend to over-complicate everything. Thanks for the reminder….

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Yes, and it shouldn’t be overcomplicated.

      Reply
  10. Melinda says

    June 2, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    I have been a fan of easier summers the last few years as my kids have grown older. we have a pool membership so that keeps us busy, and then there are movies, a trampoline, bikes, and porch well deck sitting. Stopping by from Tune in Thursday cuz you are my neighbor. Glad I did.

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      Sounds great!

      Reply
  11. Lowanda J says

    June 3, 2017 at 2:45 am

    I love that you are taking it easy and slowing down this summer. So many parents stress out about keeping their kids busy with pricey outings when they can just relax at or near home for pennies!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:48 pm

      We don’t like stress in our home!

      Reply
  12. Tiffany Haywood says

    June 4, 2017 at 4:29 am

    ‘It’s okay to be bored’ This is something I’ve had to teach myself. I was that mom who was determined to have an activity for everyday of the summer – until I didn’t. Boredom arrived and I realized – it was okay. Great post! Thanks so much for sharing it with us over at The Mommy Monday Blog Hop !

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:49 pm

      Yes, we do have to unlearn some busyness ideas.

      Reply
  13. Sue says

    June 8, 2017 at 5:24 pm

    Amen sister! :) It is hard to look at all the ideas online without feeling “less than”. So, thanks for the permission to just take it easy and let summer happen. Too much of life is programmed and scheduled and required. I like the idea of letting things happen in the summer.

    Reply
  14. Char says

    August 8, 2017 at 3:21 pm

    Hi Jennifer – I love this article on going back to simple. There are so many temptations to fill our time. I used to say it’s difficult to be home when I was homeschooling. It’s important to be intentional and you are!! Thanks for linking up!

    Reply

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