Great article on why unstructured summers are so good for kids.
Because honestly, we’re tired. Because we foolishly think by doing more, by going and going, and going, by throwing our kids into everything everywhere this summer and answering “We’ve been really busy!” to the question, “How has your summer been?” makes us a better parent. It doesn’t. Deep down, it’s just exhausting, both for the parents and the kids. I don’t know about you, but during the school year, my family rises at dawn and goes full blast for 15 straight hours. By June I’m in a full on “I can no longer keep this schedule up” induced coma. I just want to NOT be busy anymore. I want to look you in the eye, and totally and 100% guilt free, answer the “How is your summer going” question with a big, fat, “We’ve done plenty of nothing. And it’s been plenty of awesome.”
So what exactly did we do way back when? What filled our days before day camp, iPads, and supervised playdates? Well, plenty of play — simple, active, outdoor play. Maybe an occasional day trip here and there, and if we were really lucky, a two week family vacation (including several days riding in the back of a station wagon), where we went to visit Grandma, or other extended family. And on those days when boredom creeped in? When for just a few minutes we forgot our imaginations? That’s when our moms simply said, “Figure it out.” And you know what? We actually did.
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