Summer break is here! The kids and teachers are all cheering, and the stay at home moms are bracing themselves for three months’ worth of whining. Hence, why I could never be a stay at home mom. You all really don’t get the credit you deserve.
When I was younger, summer break meant one thing: the pool. That was back in the day, when you went to either Paddock, Darnek, Town & Country, Splash, Atlantis or the Country Club dependent on the location of your house and how far you were allowed to ride your bike without your parents finding out.
My family went to Darnek, then Atlantis after it closed. I remember my mom dropping my older sister and I off at the pool with approximately $3 in quarters and some beach towels. That was legal then. My sister was probably 9 or so and I was about 6.
We would spend the entire day swimming, sans sunscreen, and meet mom outside around 5 p.m., where she would pick us up after a day of watching soap operas, talking to her mom and sisters on the new cordless phone, and tanning in our backyard, away from the annoyance of kids. I would get in the back seat of the station wagon and my wet skin would sizzle on the hot seats.
Now, if I said I was going to do that with my kids today, I would probably be arrested or at least get a few calls reporting me to child services.
Luckily, I work full time and don’t have to worry about entertaining my kids on summer break. My husband gets to do that because he is a teacher.
Disclaimer: I know that according to Pinterest, I should be upset that I can’t make arts and crafts with my two little boys and take them on a tour of the best places to go in Owensboro in melting heat. But I’m not upset. I’m totally OK with spending nights and weekends keeping them entertained.
I personally think that when weekends come around, I’m going to try and get my kids to do it old school like I did. I am going to confiscate all screens and throw them in the backyard with two bikes, a sprinkler, a water hose, a baby pool and $2 in quarters. I will also add in sunscreen because it’s 2019.
Will they survive? I honestly don’t know. I’m hoping they will embrace the freedom. Maybe pick up the other neighborhood kids for a late night game of kickball. Run through the sprinkler over and over and over again. Make mud pits in the back yard and get into a screaming match about something completely ridiculous. Possibly ride their bikes to the closest McDonald’s to order cheeseburgers and Cokes with their quarters. (I’m just kidding on that one, they are only 4 and 1 and the youngest can’t even ride a real bike yet.)
But honestly, will someone open up our swim clubs again? I want my little boys to be pool rats. Those were the best days of my life. There was nothing like going off the high dive at Atlantis for the first time or watching the City/County Swim Meet on Channel 8.
So all you Oregon Trail parents like me, I suggest you throw the screens out the window – just joking, hide them in your closet because we know they were expensive to buy. Give your kids some freedom this summer and when they come outside and try to complain, yell at them to get outside and stay outside because you are trying to clean the house. When in all reality, you too are enjoying your freedom by binging on Netflix.
Until next time,
Jamie