Summertime Ideas for Kids

Most of us can smell summer coming.  We can't wait for the freedom and sunshine and loose schedules.

And then we get what we wished for.

Is there a parent out there who hasn't heard the bewildering, "What can we do now," or "There's nothing to do here!" of summer?

If you're struggling with kids that are bored, here are a few suggestions:

1.  Let them be bored.  After hectic back-to-back activities during the school year, it takes awhile for kids' brains to shift gears.  Nothing to do?  Watch clouds.  Boring?  Plant flowers?  Too hard?  Tough.  The key is to offer a few suggestions (which will be promptly dismissed) and then let go.  Given enough time, kids will find something to do--collect cool rocks, make up a game, read a book.  Kids have an incredible capacity to amuse themselves, if only we give them the time and space to do it.

2.  Plan a weekly outing.  Break up the routine of groceries and neighborhood playdates by getting out of your comfort zone.  Usually take your kids to the zoo?  Fine, but try a new museum next time.  Have a favorite park?  Save it for the fall...find a new one to try this summer.  Pick strawberries, ride go-karts, hike the dunes or in the woods.  When you try something new, it gives you all a shared experience to talk about and a sense of adventure.

3.  Have a party.  During football-soccer-basketball-swimming-lacrosse-hockey season, it's tough to get families together.  Summer can be hard, too, with people heading for the beaches.  Still, there are bound to be more bodies around than during practice/game time.  Include the kids, choose a theme, make it potluck so you have fun too, and be sure to invite some families you don't know that well.  Expanding your social horizons to include your kids friends and their families is a great way to connect--and help your kids connect--in your community.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Once You Go Minnesotan...

I've heard it said that something like 70 percent of people who move away from Minnesota move back. My parents are no exception. When they met, my dad was already in the military. My mom probably knew she would be moving around for a while when she married my dad. They did move a lot. Illinois, Virginia, California, Washington, New York...I'm sure there are places I've missed. I was born in California and by the time I came along we had only 3 moves left.

Only one of the moves really affected me. I was really too young to care or understand that we were leaving these places, never to return. I have vague memories of Washington. I was 2-4 years old when we lived there. When I realize that I do have a few memories of that time it scares me just a little because that means my kids will remember, perhaps, some of my less-stellar moments.

When we left New York I was sad. I was leaving the people I knew, going someplace (although we visited) new.

But we returned to Minnesota. My parents are from Minnesota. It was a coming home. At first, Minnesota felt wrong to me. I loved being with my grandparents but I felt out of place. Even Duck, Duck, Goose had morphed into Duck, Duck, Grey Duck which made no sense to me. I was a kid though so the transition was probably much easier on me than the rest of my family. I was picked on for my strange accent...but I sort of knew that the picking was a sign the kids liked me.

I always thought that I would move away from Minnesota. I was certain of it. I didn't. Minnesota is my home. And apparently the pull of Minnesota is strong.

Moving...

If you read my earlier post then you know we're moving.  Growing up, I lived in the same house since I was 3.  Since I left home, I've moved upwards of 15+ times, but never with children. 

This will be my first experience moving with kids.  I'm looking for any and all advice on how to make it as seemless and stressless for my children, for my 5 year olds actually.

laugh

Isn't it interesting?

Isn't it interesting how life changes? Looking back, I remember many things I said I wouldn't do and I can't believe I am or have done them.

Growing up I loved city life and always wanted to live in a big city.  While visiting NYC, my parents thought it was too dirty too crowded and I thought it was perfect.  As a young adult, I settled in Minneapolis.  After marriage, we moved one suburb out and I had a hard time saying I lived in Richfield vs. Minneapolis.  In August, we are moving further south to a town not a suburb and I'm excited.

While working for a design consulting business, I said I'd never work for a big corporation. I did. For 7 years.

I never thought I'd suffer from infertility, I did and am now thankful because that experience has made me a better parent.  I thought I would never be a stay at home Mom because I'm not cut out for it, now I am and can't imagine working away from home.  I never wanted to breastfeed, but I did and I am.  (First set of twins 14 months, second set TBD.)    I never thought I'd own a mini-van, but I do (this was hard for me to accept) but its necessary for a mom of 4. 

I never wanted twins but got them, twice. {thank you god for blessing me with them}

I used to have closets full of shoes, purses, and beautiful clothes. Now, I have a sparse closet with diaper bags, flip flops, flats, and mostly baby stained clothes.  My kids have the closets full of beautiful clothes.

One of my favorite quotes is "It's not the destination, it's the journey!"  My life has been an incredible journey so far and I am looking forward to where it takes me while enjoying every minute. [well...maybe not the minute like a few days ago when 2 babies were crying, 1 child was in hysterics and 1 child and 1 husband were trying to talk to me loudly over the crying and I felt like shouting "callgon take me away!" but in all the others.]

:: What have you done that you thought you wouldn't? ::

summer reads

Drew's favorite is anything nonfiction. He picked up Into the Rain Forest, part of the Jeff Corwin Experience series from Scholastic. If it isn't nonfiction, it isn't cool for the 6.5 year old.

Owen's taste is a bit different. He wants to be entertained. He wants to LAUGH. Our favorite is Russell the Sheep. He received this for his birth day from his aunts Stef and Kara.

As for me, I'm all over the place for summer reading. I heard from a friend that American Wife is a must read. Right now I'm trying to finish Before you Know Kindness, but it is moving slow for me. I keep trying to will myself to get into it, but I. just. can't. Which is odd for me. Usually I have to finish a book if I start it, but this one...I might not finish. I have East of Eden to start next, and I'm really ready for that read - excited!

Most importantly, we are reading. Every day and every night - which is key during our hectic and busy summer days. We slow down for a few minutes to pick up a good book.