I finally got around to sorting through the enormous pile of papers and artwork that my first-grader, Miles, brought home on the last day of school. (Yes, I know, it’s August. Give me a break, will ya?!) Among them was a list of things he wanted to do over the summer:
Well, we just got back from a lovely week at the Delaware shore where he tried boogie-boarding for the first time with his cousin (close enough to surfing for a 7yo, thankyouverymuch!):
And went on a bike ride, during which we discovered a historic military site called Fort Miles!
I’d say he’s done a pretty good job of fulfilling his summer wish list, wouldn’t you?
I didn’t write out a formal list or anything, but my summer vacation plans always include trying something new, like this sign in a shop window reminded me:
For me, the week’s adventures included trying a tandem bike and stand-up paddle boarding for the first time. (Yes, I know I’m sitting down in this picture, but we discovered through wet trial-and-error that only ONE of us could be standing up on the board at the same time!) Both were great fun and harder than they look.
One of the best things about the week for me was exploring someplace new, doing different things, breaking out of my routine. When you have small kids, life is all about routine – mealtimes, bedtimes, certain books read in a certain order, certain foods served in certain ways. As a mom, I’ve settled into distinctive routines as well – I could do the gym-grocery store-school pickup loop in my sleep. Routines can be comforting but also stultifying after a while. It’s good to shake things up every now and then.
Maybe just start with taking a different route to the supermarket instead of trying to maneuver a giant floating board with a wiggly 4yo, though.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome that you hopped on the paddle board. It looks fun, but I’m afraid I’ll fall in. I was just thinking about how I don’t have enough routine… like I’m always thinking too hard about things that should just be routine. I have this fantasy that if certain things were routine, I’d be able do more spontaneous things, instead of always feeling behind. But the truth is that you probably just have to do. the. thing.
Yeah, I don’t have any answers. We seem to fall into a routine by default. And half the time those spontaneous things I think are going to be so great end up not being so. Like, my kids might be totally bored by an unexpected picnic, but thrilled that I dragged them to the car wash. I can’t figure them out!
I hate schedules even though I understand why kids need them. Vacation comes and part of the allure is being able to just do whatever. Be it wade in the pool, drink a beer at 10 in the morning (which I may have done *ahem*), or try something new. Good luck with that new route to the grocery store too!