Guest Article by Sarah Gentili

Lazy Summer Days

The last days of the academic school year are upon us, and everywhere there is a steady undercurrent of excitement for the coming summer. Retailers have stocked their shelves with seasonal goods to buy, and everyone is busy planning and scheduling highlights for their summer. Children in particular embrace the prospect of summer vacation with bright eyes and eager anticipation.

Unlike their adult counterparts, they look forward to simpler things. Long, lazy days spent in the sun with family and friends. Days spent relaxing and doing nothing in particular are high on their list of good days. Many adults on the other hand schedule children’s summers down to the minute.

This phenomenon can be illustrated in the influx of mail I received from my children's school district. The year is winding down, but we have been bombarded with piles of flyer's and advertisements for summer activities for the children in the district. Everything from sports to day camps to full length day-care programs arranged by the school district. I think this is caused by using the public schools as day care and trying to keep up with the Joneses.

I think it is also happening because of cautious parents who are afraid to let their children be alone. I can not begin to count the number of times I have gone to call my children in for dinner and seen parents supervising children as old as 11 and 12 at a playground within our condo community. As children get older, this need to schedule their summer only gets worse. This is especially true with the introduction of year round sports and social clubs.

The end result is families are spending less time together as a family over the summer, and more time running from one scheduled event to the next. Adults become social planners and chauffeurs, embracing a whole new level of stress. Children and teenagers fill their time with what their friends are doing. While some additional day care and help is needed because of adult work schedules, this attitude has been taken to an unhealthy extreme.

As new adoptive parents, my husband I have decided that we’re going to try and relax this summer. Our children will spend the majority of their summer tearing through the neighborhood with their friends enjoying the long, lazy days just like we did when we were their age. As for us, we will work this summer like we always do and have scheduled days to get away, mostly in the form of day trips. I hope this balance of family outings and days at home will prove to be a fun and relaxing summer vacation.

Pull out your planner and take a hard look at your summer plans. Make sure there is enough time to breath, relax and enjoy yourselves. Seek a healthy balance between family time and scheduled events for your kids outside the home.

 

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Copyright 2009 Leland Pulley