Summertime

It's official: both kids are out of school for the summer. I'm looking forward to staying at the park 'til near dark, sleeping in late, bike rides, quality time in the hammock, and various and sundry day trip adventures. We love blueberry picking, exploring along the Mississippi, and picnic playdates.

(But to be honest, right now I'm stuck on how I'll manage work and some "me" time without the handy school hours. I'm a glass-half-full kinda gal. Unmedicated, I'm a glass-smashing-on-the-floor-and-I'm too-apathetic/numb-to-pick-shards-outta-my-feet. Graphic, and telling.)

I really meant to sign them up for summer camps. The intention was clear and present. Lots of brochures arrived, were perused at length. I must confess to a case of sticker shock! A week-long half-day class runs from $80 to $120, each. And finding a class that is interesting and appropriate for both kids isn't that easy. Various ideas were bandied about, but still I can't make a decision. If Day One is any indication, I'm going to need some structured committments to make up for my lack of motivation. As in, I could do something enriching for the sprogs, or I can just ignore the whining and check my FaceBook.

Last week we had the unique pleasure of answering the door to our lovely neighbors and being invited to play. And saying yes, just like that. No phone calls, e-mails, or "I'll check our schedule and get back to you." It's crazy how novel that felt, when you consider how vastly different my childhood was.

My sister and I were blessed with a neighborhood full of kids, and we all ran together in a pack from breakfast until they turned on the streetlights. We were raised in a 1950's suburb that had been reclaimed from swamp, so they left these extra big backyards that weren't fenced in until recently. Freeze tag, kick ball, you name it - we had our own field that belonged to everyone. I guess we did Vacation Bible School for a week or two, and Girl Scout Camp. But most of our time was unstructured, and I can't remember ever being bored. There was a week or two of family road trips, and usually a much-anticipated visit to our relatives in Canada.

Theoretically, not that much has changed. It was a mere generation ago. There's lots of kids around here. My two will play well with almost anyone. But I still find myself calling up parents and scheduling playdates a few days in advance. Spontaneity is reserved for friends within walking distance, or those you run into at the park. It's just that most families have to deal with work schedules, childcare issues, plus their own structured activities - the available time to overlap by happenstance is pretty limited. I view the family schedule as part of the solution and part of the problem. A necessary evil, perhaps, one that must be kept in check.

Playing hasn't become merely more structured. It appears to need more equipment, too. And the siren song of the toy and sporting good aisle mainly offers active, summer fun for the kids, but the implicit promise - occupied kids leave more time and sanity for the parents - seems writ pretty large too. Cruise the end-caps at Target. It's an education.

I fell prey to this thinking - although at a church rummage sale - yesterday. Horseshoes, art supplies, hand-held games, books, vehicles - the novelty factor is pretty important right now. So what if it was only $28 - it is still 3 bags of crap we don't actually need! We also, technically, didn't need to celebrate the end of school with hot dogs and milkshakes, nary a vegetable in sight. Summer is a season of indulgences. At least that hasn't changed.