Gearing up for Summer

By: Beth Duncan

As a child, summertime was the highlight of the year. My classmates and I spent the last month or more dreaming about summer vacation. We looked forward to sleeping in, no homework, watching TV, going to the park with friends, playing (or in later years “laying out”) at the beach. It was so exciting to think of the fun we would have!

I never imagined that my mother was not as excited as I was about summertime. I certainly never thought that she dreaded it. I am hesitant to admit the way I have felt about summer vacation as an adult with four children because I know some other parents don’t share my feelings.

Last spring, I was having a particularly hard time preparing mentally for the fact that summer vacation was just around the corner. I was talking to a friend about my summer anxiety. She was so surprised because she “loves summer vacation and spending all of that time with her two kids.” That was not what I needed to hear—not only was I dreading summertime, but now I felt guilty about it.

So, by mid-May I got an idea, born of my desperation at the thought of long summer days. It was a simple idea, but somehow it promoted the growth of a new attitude within me.

The kids and I sat down at the table together and made a list. I think it was actually dinnertime and the subject of summer vacation came up. We brainstormed about summer activities—things they would each like to try to do. I thought maybe having it all written down would give us goals, purpose and ambition. I was still pessimistic though. I think I still had such bad memories of the summer before.

The summer before, I was nursing my baby. I was exhausted with the demands of a baby, and my body was tired from meeting her nutritional needs. My 10-year old with Down syndrome was draining my emotional reserves in her own needy way. We didn’t have much direction for the summer and spent most of our time making messes and cleaning messes (I’m sure you can imagine who was making them and who was cleaning them).

So, last summer, when we started with “a plan,” it gave us goals for most days. We worked toward these fun activities. Most of them were simple and inexpensive, such as selling lemonade in the front yard, going to the park or the zoo, having picnics, going the beach, going to see a movie, having lunch at Chuck E. Cheese’s, going to Lowe’s for a kid’s class, going swimming, and attending VBS. We also started “chore charts,” so they could help me around the house and make money for summer purchases.

The kids were thrilled that so much fun was ahead for their summer vacation. And an amazing thing happened! We had a great summer—I mean really great. We didn’t get to everything on our list, which was a little disappointing for my very organized and task-oriented six-year old. But, it was great for me. The summer flew by—I almost hated to see it fade away into the whirlwind of school supplies, new school clothes, and getting up way too early to get on the bus.

This year, I am remembering with fondness my childhood excitement about summertime. It’s true, I am actually dreaming of summer vacation.