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.

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.