Embracing a “Boring” Summer

To be honest, the upcoming summer has brought me a little anxiety. I usually love the long, lazy days with nowhere to be unless we feel like it, but this year I’ve been feeling some pressure to “make it epic”.

We aren’t traveling this year or sending the kids to any camps, we aren’t really doing anything monumental except (hopefully) sleeping in. I’ll take them to the beach, and we will eat popsicles like it’s our job, but there will also be days when I work with my headphones on and I’ll need them to play on their own.

We are going to have a very mellow summer, and for some reason that wasn’t feeling like enough.

Yesterday, I took my daughter on a date to eat egg rolls, because we know how to party. We started talking about the summer, and I asked her what she was hoping to do. Her eyes lit up, and I braced myself.

“Well…”

“I’d love to eat more corndogs, hamburgers, and hotdogs!” she said excitedly, “I really love those.”

I typed quickly as she rattled out the rest of her dreams:

“Get my ears pierced.

Build more with legos.

Take a bike ride.

Play with our dog A LOT.

Go to the beach. (We live close, so this is easy).

Watch Lightening McQueen.

Hangout with Ella and Clover (her friends).

Go to the mall.”

You guys, I breathed such a giant sigh of relief. I think her list is exactly the same as my list.

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Summer throwback 2015

I’m sure my kids would love to do something extraordinary this summer (who wouldn’t?) and I dread the words “I’m bored” like nails on a chalkboard, but also, there’s beauty in the ordinary. Sometimes the long, slow days are just as precious as the fast ones, and it turns out my kids’ expectations are not nearly as high as I thought.

It turns out that pressure I was feeling was mine, not theirs.

So we are planning to ride bikes, get dirty, catch tadpoles, eat ice-cream, and swim until our fingers are pruney. I’m also planning to say a lot of, “If you’re bored I have a list of extra chores on the fridge” and “If you’re whining about going to the beach, maybe we should all take naps instead.” I’m planning for them to annoy each other (and me) endlessly.

I’m planning to call emergency happy hours with friends on the back porch.

We are having a boring summer at our house, and suddenly that sounds just right.

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14 responses to “Embracing a “Boring” Summer”

  1. Perfect idea! I had loads of outings planned for our half term holiday this week (UK) but rain stopped play – turns out my daughter is just as happy pottering around at home, playing with Lego or painting pictures or making gingerbread, simple is under-rated 😄

  2. Sounds like a fabulous summer of both being and family fun❤️

  3. I like this idea!! Especially the happy hour!!

  4. Reading, drawing, building forts, playing ‘school’ – we used to play outside all day long and even at night – hide & seek, catching fireflys- we were never bored! Oh to have those days again! LOL!

  5. YESS!!!! This is exactly what we are doing this summer, I want my kids to know that being with each other and having fun at home is the BEST! That having big adventures isn’t’ the norm but just that…big adventures are a special thing. We will be eating popsicles and getting pruny right along with ya! And there will definitely be happy hours on the porch as the firefly’s glow the night sky up.

  6. long live low expectations and no stress!

  7. Becky Allhands Avatar
    Becky Allhands

    Sounds just right to me too! Yay summer 🙂

  8. Oooh I love the idea of fireflies!!

  9. YES!!

  10. Sounds perfect, enjoy it! My kids have stopped saying they are bored because of the dreaded chores list lol.

  11. Sounds ideal to me but I have a 2 year old and an 11 year old. Pool parties with friends are nice but would love additional suggestions for two boys who have a large age gap and interests. Thanks!

  12. […] This article originally appeared on Wonderoak […]

  13. I always keep some math and language arts worksheets handy. The second they say “I’m bored” to the kitchen table they go. My 6 year old LOVES worksheets. My 10 year old learns to not be bored. Enjoy your boring summer!

  14. It’s looking like I am working most of the summer so it’s going to be daycare, day camp, and otherwise it’s just evening and weekend trips to the beach and hopefully some hikes and weekend camping trips. Definitely nothing epic and it can be hard not to feel guilty when I hear of other families’ amazing plans!

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