Summers down South are everything and all at once! We are lucky enough to wake up to warm mornings for splashing in the pool, fun afternoons learning at the library, and end the evenings catching lightning bugs under the stars. These are a few easy and memorable ways to spend any summer day. Early in the summer weeks, these perfect days of slowdown and unwind are exactly what our children need as they breathe a sigh of relief that another school year is behind them and a few glorious months of summer are here for the taking.
Let’s face it. Summertime is exciting for our children, who have been counting down those last days of studying and finals, but these days can be challenging for parents to help find ways to fill long days with some fun, yet continue to engage in meaningful ways. Many parents are continuing to balance work, home, and other responsibilities throughout the summer, but struggle with wanting to give our kids the best summer ever, too.
In this month’s feature article, Inexpensive Micro Summer Adventures for Busy and Working Families, the author explains the summer conflict many families face and offers unique ideas to help with a game plan. She suggests looking at the summer plans from a micro perspective rather than a broader, more overwhelming one.
Instead of trying to pack long, multiple weeks of vacation and travel into the few weeks of summer, try to incorporate memorable moments of family fun throughout the week. Think of it as little bursts of family fun that fit nicely into a mid-Wednesday nighttime routine or within driving distance for a stay-cation Saturday.
Each week, why not incorporate Wednesday Walks, where a new nature trail or park is to be explored? This week, get back into nature at Chewacla State Park, and next week, it could be indoors, viewing local art exhibits and culture at the museum. Just a little forethought in the plans could bring an anticipation for each Wednesday that brings summer memories to cherish. Small additions to the family calendar may seem insignificant, but for your children, it is all about intentional togetherness that makes for a summer to remember.
To help spark the imagination, check out the Summer Activities Guide. You will find that Auburn and Opelika libraries have a full summer of fun on deck, local day camps with spots still available, and STEM classes to keep their minds engaged and learning. What about that week-long vacation that feels necessary each summer? How about we rethink those extended vacations that feel daunting to make happen every July? Maybe this summer it is just not ideal to get away. Yes, a full week on a cruise sounds amazing; however, what about bringing the cruise to you? Get creative and have a cruise day, your way!
Saturday morning yoga on the deck, followed by a pancake station with colorful toppings, which leads to sprinklers and slip-n-slides on the lawn. Next, the kids are the nightly show, where they can design a stage experience that showcases talents from singing and dancing to the Amazing Magic Show Finale. Don’t forget the family game night and bedtime snacks to round out that perfect cruise day. Again, the memories of turning your kitchen into a fancy dining hall and your backyard into the Lido deck will be the stories that they recall for years to come.
Let’s make sure this summer is one your family will always remember. Where time spent was not wasted, but planned and enjoyed, even if it is the micro moments, at sunset on a Thursday. From one parent to another, it is my hope that these upcoming months are ones not stressed over or only measured by cost, but by connection, creativity, and memories that linger long after the sun sets on another summer.
