Today marks the official first day of the kids’ summer vacation. They have 69 days of summer vacation before school starts again September 1. This year, both kids opted not to go to camp. Now that I am working part-time from home, this is the first time in awhile where camp was an option and not a necessity. Despite the variety of camps presented to them: town camp, Girl Scout/Cub Scout camp or sports camp, neither of them wanted to go. I reminded them that they shouldn’t expect to “hang out” with their friends every day since most of their friends are at camp all day. So, now, what is a mom to do with 69 days of summer?
Well, first I bought myself a mini notebook to journal our summer adventures. Yes, I said adventures. If you know me well, “adventure” is not a word that you’d normally associate with me. I’m a creature of habit and routine. However, if you read Wednesday’s post, I wrote about my daughter’s moving up to middle school in the fall. With this upcoming change I know that spending time with her mom will soon be replaced by wanting to spend all her time with her friends. So, I plan to take the kids on outings. We can tackle our Hudson Valley Summer Bucket List as well as explore New York City. We can eat our way through Westchester County and spend lazy days at the park. Whatever we do, I am taking advantage of this time that we do have to spend together.
I also found two notebooks for the kids to decorate and use as their own summer journals. Not only will they keep up their writing skills, but they will have a souvenir of their hopefully fun summer!
And for those days that we spend at home, this sign was made. Now, my son won’t be constantly asking to play the Xbox.
Follow along with NY Foodie Family on the blog and on Instagram, as we fill our 69 days of summer!
I’m excited to follow along! So great with the screen rules. So sad when they want to hang out with the friends more than with us, but that’s independence. They gotta learn it 🙂
Thanks Lisa! Happy to have you following along! Hope you are enjoying your summer! And yes, I know, I hope I teach her well, but I don’t like the thought of her not needing me!
Too funny! Your summertime rules sound almost exactly like mine! We’ve been doing it this way for a while now. For the most part, the kids are on board, but of course there is a little reminding 🙂 Have a wonderful summer!
Erin, this is my first summer with both kids home the whole time! We’re only six days into summer, but the rules seem to be working well. Keeping my fingers crossed, since there’s a lot more summer to go!
I love this! I wish that I would have done this with my kids who are now 16 and 24. It’s so funny that you think that you will always have time, then one day moves into the next, and then a week is gone, a month, and in the blink of an eye they, and you, are a year older. I am finding it so true that as you age time moves so fast. It was just Christmas and now July is knocking on the door. Taking time, consciously, to spend the summer documenting your adventures is such a smart way to start. You’ll want to fill that notebook with great things, so you will actively search them out! And the sign! LOVE the sign. There are no arguments to be had, it is very clear what is expected. Perfect!