A friend and I were talking while our toddlers played in the park this week, and we both mentioned how we are the only people we know counting down to summer because we just can’t wait for everyone to be home all day. The more I thought about the conversation, though, the more I realized our enormous privilege. I would be singing a different tune if I had to scramble for childcare over the summer. As it is, I can smile at the camp sign-up rate race without engaging.
I am signing Minnie up for one day of dance camp (IT IS GOING TO BE SO CUTE), and the big boys are going away to camp for a week in July. But we don’t need childcare, which is a whole different camp stress level.
Dorothy and Coop will have swim team every morning. Cooper has dive on campus 5 days a week and dive at the pool too. He’s got 3 baseball teams going, and Dorothy is playing softball. She will also have dance team try outs (which are 8 weeks long and involve multiple classes a day/week). Besides camp, Jack and Harry are both working at the pool. Minnie will stay in gym class because when she turns 3, it’s not a parent-child class anymore and I cannot even handle it. Not sure about swim for her— she can’t do lessons at the pool until next summer, but we may take a pause on indoor lessons. Plus tennis! 3/5 of the kids will take lessons, but when? Not sure.
So, I mean, it’s not all popsicles and screen time and drinking out of the hose, but, it’s a lot those things.
Coop has had a rough end of the school year, and I am just SO READY for everyone to get a break, you know?
What about you— can’t wait for summer or happy with the school routine?
Being able to spend summer with my kids was such a big perk of academom-ing for me. A huge, huge privilege as you point out! Loved how you mentioned in comments about being besotted with Minnie 💗--that's how I am too, so I've always treasured lazy summer months...
ReplyDeleteSummer is not much different from the school year for us. Will stays in daycare, Paul is switching to the public school summer kids program. We figure it will be a good transitional step for him to prepare him for kindergarten - plus it's at his school this year (the location moves around each summer). And they don't nap in this program like they do in his PK class which really messes with bedtime! We'll always need daycare-like childcare in the summer so summer will also look pretty similar to the school year. I looked at enrolling Paul in some camps but the drop-off times are 9am or even later as we need childcare starting around 7 since we start working around 7:30.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you are greeting the summer with open arms!
I enjoyed the summer as well when my boys were younger, because I had the privilege of not worrying about childcare and was able to just do fun things with them all the time. My younger son is graduating (TOMORROW) and of course, as they get older there's not so much of a change for me - it's been a while since I took them to the zoo or the pool, for example. But I do love being around my boys; they entertained each other so much as well when they were younger (well, and now too, they are the best of friends).
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids, but I'm excited about the summer. So much daylight! So much ice cream! So many things to do!
ReplyDeleteIt IS a privilege not to have to worry about money or childcare or losing your job and it's great to recognize that while still LIVING LA VIDA LOCA.
An educator here. Having summers off is such a gift. For both my family and myself. Summers are for planning my life, going down the shore (a NJ expression :) 2-3 times a week, reading and traveling.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about summer since becoming a parent. I love it and look forward to it, but it also drains me physically and emotionally, as my kids don't tend to have many activities and I'm home with them full time (and work a few hours on my job on the side)! There is a lot of time to fill and aside from COVID years (which came with their own major challenges), I've often been juggling most of the summer schedule as a solo parent while my husband travels for work. So while I look forward to summer, I'm always ALWAYS ready for the start of school in September!
ReplyDeleteWhen I wasn't working I loved summer with the kids - it was either a non-stop party or mellow, good friends came to visit, baseball was less rushed. Now I'm a school librarian and still have that privileged summer, with less kid-time but still some kid-time. I hate the heat, so I'm always a tiny bit stressed in summer about the "it's beautiful weather, I should be outside, but outside makes me want to die", but that's a quibble.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled that it's summer vacation! Of course, my kids are 20 and 14. When they were younger I did have some challenging moments over the summers. But no- we never had to pay for full-time day care or camp. I don't know how people do that- it's SO EXPENSIVE!
ReplyDeleteMy kids aren't as busy as yours, but my daughter is doing three different weeks of music camp... other than that there will be a lot of relaxing, which is how summer should be!
I love summer, but for me it's not because of kids (because, well, no kids, LOL). For me, it's the weather (HOT THANK YOU WEATHER GODS) and fewer meetings. Not no meetings (goodness, that would be asking way too much) but fewer meetings. Thank. Goodness. I love your approach to this and hope you wholeheartedly enjoy this wonderful time with your kiddos. :)
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