Hey there, readers. Long time no read. So, I decided to finally put my say in on this whole "Summer home with the kids" thing... And I know there are quite a few blog posts out there circulating on this subject, but I just wanted to put a word in about my feeling on the whole thing. Some of you are trying to figure out your "plan" for the summer on what you're going to do with your kids now that they are home for the summer months. I've seen lots of them, organizing everything into neat little curricula to keep their absorbent minds learning, keep them entertained, whatever. And to you who can do that, I say, knock yourselves out. But for those of you reading this, here's my summer plan... Letting the children play. I know, I know, "That's crazy!" You say. "Your children deserve more effort, more fun!" Well, here's my reason.
I grew up the middle child of three kids... A sister 4 years older and a brother almost 7 years younger, and while, you would think my sister and I would play together and entertain each other, that thought would be wrong. My sister wanted nothing to do with me. She wanted to be grown up, and I was still a little kid. So, what was I to do? I played by myself. "Holy Lonely, Batman! Were you scarred for life?" Nope. Because I was left to my own devices to find boredom busters, I... wait for it... got an imagination. And because of this imagination, no matter where I was, I could create an adventure out of it. I wasn't raised with trips to Oceans of Fun or whatever fun things families do. I was raised with investigations in the backyard, explorations on the farm, and roller blading down the driveway. When we would go somewhere, whether just a restaurant or running an errand with mom and dad, it was a treat. And because I could create fun all by myself, it was an adventure.
So what does that mean now that I'm looking at the summer with my little ducklings? It means I'm going to let them play, with toys, outside, you name it. No "activity" for every day, though we'll probably do one sometimes. It's all up to them and what their minds can create. And we've already put it motion. We got to go out to eat last night-which, voila, is a treat for them. And when we go to church on Sunday and to eat at "gongzuo", BOOM. Treat again.
So, what are your summer plans? I'd love to hear what ideas you've come up with!
