As I stare out the window at our less-than-balmy spring conditions, I find my mind drifting to thoughts of the looming summer holidays, and to be honest, I'm not encouraged. I'm hoping against hope that Mother Nature does a quick turn on her heel and offers up some blissfully sunny days perfect for the beach - and soon.
Truthfully, I'm really looking forward to having the kids home from school for a couple months. The idea of leisurely mornings when we aren't rushing out the door is downright dreamy. But for some at-home parents the idea of approximately 80 unscheduled days to fill can be a bit overwhelming.
Thankfully, I have some smart friends with some smart suggestions on how to keep the kids, AND mom or dad, happy and sane.
A couple of months ago my friend Mary told me about her summer wish list. It didn't actually include any of the things you might think - like being fit enough to wear her pre-baby bikini or saving enough to rent a cottage for a week on Salt Spring, but rather it was a list of things, both big and small, that she and the kids were going to do over the summer months.
The list included things like walking to the corner store and getting a popsicle, riding bikes to Kits Beach (they live close by) and swimming in the salt-water pool, and my personal favourite: meeting friends from Squamish at Porteau Cove for a picnic.
The list can work wonders in the present moment, too. When her toddler was demanding an ice cream cone before dinner, her "no" was softened by adding "ice cream cones" to the summer list. After that, more ideas flowed forth and everyone got in on the game of suggesting fun things to do.
Then I had tea with another friend who was doing exactly the same thing. She already had more than 100 things on her list, again from the simple and inexpensive to slightly more complex and costly. Her point is that there are often days when they would get up and no one would really know what to do beyond that, particularly the teenager, who was content to let hours slip by texting with friends. Days could come and go with no memories being made. However, just by sitting down the night before and picking one thing, there was an instant goal and something to look forward to. Easy peesy!
I've already started my family's list: horseback riding, berry picking in Pemberton, picnics and swimming at all the lakes in the region that we can drive or do a moderate hike to, indoor trampoline jumping on a rainy day, Whistler's water park - wet or dry - and a trek around the Four Lakes Trail.
I'd love to see your list! Please email me your ideas and maybe we can generate a master list that I can put up on my website to share.
Kirsten Andrews offers courses, workshops and private consultations on Simplicity Parenting in the corridor. For info visit www.SeaToSkySimplicityParenting.com, like it on Facebook or email [email protected].
