The best summer ever

A few weeks ago, while the girls ran laps between the sprinkler and the sandbox and I relaxed in a lawn chair, I heard Grace exclaim, "this is the best summer ever!" I smiled to myself because having the best summer ever was part of my plan. I can get so caught up with whether or not the house is clean or the laundry is done or the dinner is made that I miss out on the best part of parenting: being a kid with my kids. I decided that for two months (because that's all the break we get before Grace goes to Kindergarten) I would stop writing lists, and I wouldn't worry about dirty floors or laundry or well balanced meals. We would have the best summer ever, instead.

It hasn't been perfect. I've still had plenty of OCD moments, but, for the most part, I've been able to let go of a schedule. We let each day flow and see where it takes us. The best part of this arrangement has been the unstructured playtime between the girls. Early in the morning I'll find them in Grace's room playing with her kitchen or the dollhouse. They do this for hours, only to break for food. Then we spend time reading. We've had our own summer reading program, and for each book Grace completes she adds a quarter to a money jar. Before Kindergarten starts she'll spend her loot at a local toy store. She LOVES this. We've also spent a fair amount of time at the Mercer pool, where, according to Grace, her "skills are growing." Julia loves the water too, kicking her legs in her inner-tube (which she calls her "pool party") to swim between Craig and me.

Late in the Spring I had a number of conversations with other parents about summertime plans. The questions came: "Which camp is Grace attending?" or "DId you apply for XYZ camp?" or "How are you going to manage a whole summer without childcare?" While I was surprised by the questions, the asker was equally surprised by my answers. I didn't see the need for camps or for time away. She's only four after all. I wasn't going to have another summer before my first child went to Kindergarten. I wanted to be with her and her sister for an entire summer.

So that's what we're doing. Some days there's fighting and unhappiness. Every day there's laughter and fun. We're having the best summer ever, day by day.