Maybe this summer will be different. Maybe this time summer will be filled with long, glorious days of sticky s’mores and campfires and starry skies. When the snow is still on the ground, I dream of summer’s sleepy, slow mornings and adventure-filled days. But in May, as summer draws near, I develop a nervous tic, and by mid-June, I’m in full-on drill sergeant mode, handing out assignments to my three boys for the fun we. must. have. Honestly, I’m overwhelmed by, and maybe even a little scared of summer.
I long to be one of those moms who can live in the moment and casually decide each day’s activities at the spur of the moment, but packing the lunches, swim bags, snacks, and water bottles isn’t a casual event for me. It tires me to plan the outings and arrange the playdates and deliver the boys. It grates on me that I’m constantly rescuing chlorine towels and soggy swimsuits from the floor. To deal with the drain, I become Suzy Taskmaster, our family’s social director, caterer, housekeeper, and chauffeur. My measure of success isn’t if we are experiencing the wonder of summer—it’s getting it done. Controlling it. Maybe even squeezing the joy out of it. If we can just do all of the prescribed ‘summery’ things, we’re doing summer right—right?
Read the rest over at The Joyful Life Magazine's blog!