Summer In A Big Family

Chores, chores and more chores, the pool and a trip to Grandma’s house. Our summers were not  all about trips, camps, summer school or even sports. There were just too many of us to afford that. There was a rare occasion when I was jealous of a friend who got to travel or had exciting adventures but on a whole I was relaxed. I had a routine and I was happy.

We got up and had breakfast together, then we had our chores and time for ourselves. By noon we were at the Lagoon pool. We stayed until 4 and then at 5:30 we ate dinner and had R&R. It actually sounds really boring but I never thought it was. I had my schedule. In between I hiked around, played kick the can, read on a blanket in the trees and let my fantasies go wild. Our trip to my Grandma’s was a highlight.

When my kids get bored in between our travels I get annoyed. I think back to my childhood and how I wasn’t bored so just get on with it. I didn’t have all these electronic gadgets and exotic trips. Just this summer I told my kids boredom can be good. It gets your imagination going. I truly believe this! We shouldn’t entertain our children all the time. Take their electronics away for a few weeks and let them be bored. They will hate you for a day and then thank you when the time is done because they will have experienced other things.