Every year around this time, a subtle shift starts to take place in my house. The sun is rising earlier and setting later, short sleeve shirts become the norm, and fruits and vegetables that are not frozen start to make more frequent appearances. The countdown to the end of the school year begins and plans for the summer take shape. There are a few things that always happen as we transition from school-mode to summer-mode.
Shorts
When I drop my kids off at school and see the children in fleece jackets or heavy hoodies and shorts, it is as if I have seen the first robin of springtime. My kids would wear shorts 365 days a year if they could, but in New England, that is not possible. As soon as we get three or four days in a row of weather over 55, the shorts come out and they refuse to wear pants again.
Summer Shopping Lists Get Longer
When the shorts emerge from the drawer, the first thing I notice is just how short they are. For some reason, I forget that kids grow and the clothes that fit them perfectly last year now look like Barbie outfits. This year is the first that my daughter will be doing much of her summer shopping in the grown-up section and my son sprouted over the winter. Shorts, bathing suits, sunscreen, beach towels, camp bags all need to be purchased, and the list keeps growing.
Hopping Out of Bed in the Morning
A typical school day in our house involves multiple attempts to get kids to wake up, lots of grumbling and complaining (most of it from the parents) and finally – the emergence from their rooms with no excitement for the day ahead. Yet somehow, when they have to wake up at the same time for a day at camp they practically leap from their beds, get dressed without any prompting, and eagerly await the day. The whole morning-time mood in the house changes. This is one transition that makes life a bit easier.
Scramble for Coverage
We got our camp plans squared away a while ago, but there is something else that strikes fear in the hearts of the dual-working parent household – COVERAGE! It would be nice if school ended the Friday before camp begins and if camp went until Labor Day. This is not the case. We usually have a few days in June and at least a week in August when we have to figure out how to occupy the kids. Even with a vacation thrown in, we always end up with some serious debates about who can take what days off and how are we going to bridge these gaps. It always works out, but not without some planning.
Overall, by the time summer rolls around, we are all ready for it. It is nice to look forward to getting ice cream on a whim, after-dinner walks around the neighborhood, and other little things that only seem to take place at this time of year. Even though my husband and I are still going to work, it just seems more relaxed at the end of the day. Summer cannot start fast enough!