The school year is winding down. No more alarm clocks or lunches to make, no more daily pickups or Friday day dates. By the end of this week my full-time job as a mom will kick into full gear.
Summer resets us as a family, and that’s what I love most about this season. With more down time, and less rigorous of a schedule, we are reminded of what’s most important- each other. Academics and activities have their place, but they don’t rule our life. Summer serves as my regular reminder of that. It won’t always be this way.
But I don’t just lounge away those hot, summer days waiting around for school to start back up. You may see me reading a book by the pool after lunch, but in between paragraphs, I’m also observing how kids are spending their time, treating each other, and the choices they are making when they are bored or when no one wants to play with them.
During the month of June, I’ll be sharing what drives my summers with a full house. These are the things that keep me focused on what’s most important and help me discern when routine needs more consistency and when it needs to be hijacked. I create a schedule, but I stay in charge of it. With no one telling us where to go or when to be there, I can bend to the needs and whims of the moment. I’m in complete control (and the control freak in me loves that!).
The first thing that drives me during the summer is…Time & Space.
I’m intentional to give ample time and space for all us to spend together and on our own. My kids spend nine months living by clocks and bells, I don’t want their summers to feel the same. I want the rhythm to feel different. I want the pace to change.
They need time for their bodies and minds to relax and recharge, to grow and stretch. That doesn’t happen well without time and space. So I make sure we all get more of both. More time to do the mundane, more space to have fun, more time to do the things we love.
We are free from pressure; there are no tests. We can focus on one another, and for a little while, forget about the rest.