The Summer of "Sure!"

I think summers have gotten a little out of hand.

Not that I have anything against summer. There is a lot of it I love (not the heat though, give me sweater weather any day)! The schedule is a whole lot looser, bedtimes are more relaxed, and the ice cream is plentiful. But sometimes I feel like we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to plan summer to within an inch of its life.

Don’t get me wrong, if you love having a game plan every week with places to go and people to see, themed breakfasts, and planned crafts—go for it! I’m glad you have this time to do the things you love!

But if you DON’T have that kind of energy, please don’t feel guilty about it.

This year, our summer has been largely shaped by one word: “Sure!”

My daughter is eight, and she loves nothing more than to have a friend come over and play. She’s a super social kid and really misses her friends over the summer, so she asks nearly every day if someone can come and play.

For a long time, I resisted. It’s hard to explain why … I think mostly, I wanted to have my life together before I invited someone else into it. I wanted her room to be clean and the lawn to be mowed, so that the parent doing drop-off would feel like I was a Real Adult.

I know that doesn’t make any sense. I don’t care what someone’s yard looks like when I drop my kids off, so why do I put that kind of pressure on myself?!

I’ve never been a Martha Stewart or a Joanna Gaines. My house isn’t fancy, I’m not a good decorator, the porch is kind of mildewed and desperately needs to be pressure washed, and my daughter’s room is a disaster—but these kids do not care in the least.

My home may not be Instagram ready, but it is my home. And I am trying to be better about opening the doors and letting people in. Kids and adults alike!

My other hang-up is that I am far more shy than most people realize. To TEXT ANOTHER PARENT — who I don’t know well — is really nerve-wracking for me. It’s one more place I truly have to force myself out of my comfort zone. It’s been worth it, though.

Every time my daughter has a friend over, she acts like it’s the best day of her life. And talk about a cheap way to spend the day! No tickets or annual passes, no parking, no inflated snack prices. No summer sun, acting like it's out to get you. 

Just two kids, making a huge mess, eating us out of house and home (we have gone through an incredible amount of popsicles this summer!) and loving every minute of it.

We are also making time for the library reading program, doing some crafts, and visiting grandparents all across the country — but I feel so much less pressure this year to fill her days. She and her friends are making their own fun.

Reminds me of when I was a kid.

Now, if only I could get my teenager out of his room once in a while …