Normally I would make a Summer bucket list, so far I haven’t. I still might put together something. After my cell phone broke the other day I realized I needed to slow things down this Summer, and that is just what I’ve been trying to do. We’re still making memories, but I have not scheduled every minute of every day for the girls. I’m hoping for a slow paced Summer.
My broken phone has been replaced but in the days I was without one it was really nice to not be constantly connected. So for now my phone is often staying in the car, or on the counter in our house. Out of sight and out of mind is now my goal. I can answer emails and all those things later, sure there are still the odd moments I want to take photos so I’ll either grab it for that and put it back or go and grab my actual camera. I am also on the hunt for an actual alarm clock I don’t hate. One that isn’t too bright as a digital clock or annoying with a really loud ticking sound as an analog clock.
I started thinking back to my childhood memories and what I would get up to in the Summer as a kid. Yes, I can remember back to the ages my girls are. I remember lots of playing with my siblings and making messes with the toys. Using the carpet we had as a street route and giving our dolls epic hair cuts. I remember playing outside, rolling down hills, and getting cuts and bruises on my legs and elbows. I remember using the giant box of crayons and loving getting to sharpen one in the silly sharpener built into the box. Some of my favourite memories come from my parents just suddenly packing my sisters and I up in the car and saying “lets go” and we’d be off for an adventure that day. A day spent at the beach, water park or aquarium.
Truth be told, I need to slow things down for myself. Often our family is “go, go, go” during the week and it became too much. I was feeling stressed out and my anxiety was increasing drastically. To the point where I didn’t even want to go out of the house and definitely not on my own with the girls. I would think of all the possible worst case scenarios and it would all just consume me. I am fighting back though and enjoying this carefree Summer.
Do we need to have a million things planned for the girls? No, they will be perfectly fine without all sorts of things on the schedule. Does my oldest still need to get her energy out? You betcha. This does not mean that our girls are at home doing nothing. The girls are playing with their toys and using their imaginations. They are quick to request a book be read to them or ask to get to colour.
So far, this slower pace to Summer is working for us. Come September our dynamic as a family will be changing again as my oldest starts kindergarten. For now, I am looking forward to many days without plans. If one of the girls asks about a picnic tomorrow, maybe we’ll go do that. For now there is nothing on the calendar.
ARE YOU SLOWING THINGS DOWN THIS SUMMER?
That place looks so fun! There is a cow like that at our zoo and Leopold loves milking it!
I loved this post! I can totally relate and think it’s so important to slow things down from time to time and really enjoy the small every day moments (:
My motto all summer has been slow! Not just because I’m pregnant but because I want Parker to enjoy the summer outside. Playing with the dogs and in the sprinkler. Last week we only left the house twice and it was fabulous!
‘Keeping it simple’ was my motto this year (even wrote a blob post on it). I was feeling so stressed trying to plan out continuous plans for my kids that I had to step back and remember what my summers were like when I was a kid. I realized we never had plans and we had a blast.
We have had a fabulous summer keeping things low key and taking the day as it comes (with few scheduled activities here and there). Not sure how society lost that mentality (I blame my beloved Pinterest ☺️), but it has been refreshing to say the least and my kids have shown no sign of deprivation.☺️ Thank you sharing.
I got my phone stolen last April and I was forced to slow down. I couldn’t believe what I was missing out on. No phone = less stress. Well, at least IMO.
We have been SO busy this summer, but things have finally been slowing down a bit here. I loved seeing your pics of your little ones feeding the ducks…brings back memories from my own childhood and is a great reminder to do this with my kids as well! I like the idea of less busy, more of the good stuff in life. Thanks for sharing!
This this this! We skipped the bucket list this year so we could slow down and its wonderful <3