Fitting Summer In

     Last time, I wrote about summer. How it has a mixed bag of gifts and no thanks. We have this

Or are there?

This summer is both our shortest and our busiest. We are on what's called a balanced calendar. So instead of a twelve week spread of endless summer days, we have eight weeks. The other four are spread throughout the school year with two weeks in the fall, winter and spring. Along with a variety of days off sprinkled thru the year.

We don't do sports, but I did sign the older two up for a day camp three days a week. They are doing all the cool things I always hope we can get to, but never seem to. So those two are filling up on laser tag, water balloons and all kinds of things coming in the next few weeks. And I don't have to pay for or clean up after any of it. Also, its about three hours when I don't have to hear, "Is it time for screen time?"
unique time as kids to be free and easy with our time. There are no responsibilities like school work or study hall. There are few organized activities to sign up for.


We also implemented the structure of school but way pared back. They have a list of about ten fifteen items. Some are hygiene based so they become more regular habits. Cause we all know that kids will take any opportunity to be lacks on this point. Also, there are some enrichment type of activities. Like a summer reading program to score local swag. I'm also making them do a language app called Duolingo. The world is only getting smaller and I want to make sure my kids have at least that advantage.

We still have relaxed evenings and family fun. The big kids are staying up past their normal bed times while we enjoy some Harry Potter. The little one is stretching theirs out with endless hugs and complaints about sunlight.

The idyllic summer of my youth is not what my kids are experiencing, but they are having fun where it can be found during their summer break.

Where do you land? Structured, total lack of schedule or somewhere in between?