Letting go of “Summer Mom Guilt”.

Summer, the season that’s supposed to be all about rest and relaxation, especially for students, can actually leave us feeling drained and overwhelmed.

Social media has been focusing a lot on the number of summers we have with our children. The quote “You only get 18 delicious summers with your kids” has been popping up all over my feed written across Pinterest-worthy photos of luxury family vacations.

I understand that the feeling behind the popular phrase is intended to spark appreciation towards motherhood. They say we are on borrowed time when raising children but the pressure to make our children’s summers magical can be stress-inducing, not to mention, expensive.

The thought of it can bring on feelings of sadness and nostalgia, especially if you are comparing your summers to those you see on social media which include all sorts of travel and outings.

Let’s be real here, we don’t always have 18 summers. Sometimes we have less than that. Sometimes we have more. Chances are if you create a healthy connection with your children you will spend more than just eighteen summers with them.

It’s not just about summers though. It’s about how you choose to spend your time with your kids. Time is a privilege and we should treasure it within our realistic lifestyles and not get into debt or risk our sanity trying to live up to certain expectations of what summer should look like.

Don’t forget the rest of the year either. 

All seasons make for beautiful memories.

The biggest perk of this season for children is not having to go to school, not dealing with homework, test, reports, peer pressure, alarm clocks, and all those stressful things that encompass being a student today. As a bonus, we get to watch our children grow a little closer and soak in their personalities.

Honestly, I would rather sit in my backyard with a slip-and-slide and make simple, free memories than drive an hour to the zoo under the Florida heat, spend $200 dollars, nearly have a nervous breakdown because a wasp invaded our personal space, have everyone get overstimulated and moody, then spend 3 days recovering.

Now I’m not saying we aren’t going to do things outside of the house but I am saying that we often underestimate the simple things like baking, making homemade popsicles, going out for lunch, or arts and crafts.

We also underestimate how beneficial it is for our kids to have parents who are not burnt out and overwhelmed. 

 

Happy mommy, healthy children.

I don’t have a village or a nanny, yet, which means my children will be bored on some days and use more electronic time than I would like because I still have to work.

It also means that I have to be intentional with the time I am able to enjoy with them.

Spending time with kids doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are plenty of fun activities that you can do together without breaking the bank. 

The important thing is to spend quality time together, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot to do that.

My children made a list of fun activities we will be doing this summer. You can read it and maybe be inspired…

Summer Fun List

-Make matching tie-dye shirts

-Make elephant toothpaste

-Go out for ice-cream

-Visit and explore a nearby city

-Go to the pool

-Go out to our favorite restaurant

-Make homemade popsicles with fresh fruit

-Make slime

-Go to the beach

-Stay physically active with fun exercise/dance videos on youtube

-Watch a movie together and make snacks

-Bake cookies

-One-on-one sleepovers with each child including things they like

-Tell each other fun made-up stories before bed.

 If you don’t live near a nice beach, consider a day pass to a hotel with a nice pool, your local waterpark, or a day at the lake. Always take extra caution when in or near water.

Make sure to check your local weather updates for heat advisories and bring plenty of sunscreen, water, and snacks for a day outdoors.  No matter what you choose to do, just remember to stay hydrated and take breaks in the shade or indoors as needed.

If it fits your budget local aquariums and museums can be an educational form of entertainment. An added benefit is that if you homeschool your children, these visits can also count towards homeschooling.

I highly recommend avoiding theme parks, outlet malls, and anything that requires children to be outside for a prolonged time during the hot summer months. Not only can it be dangerous it will affect their mood.

I’ll never forget we learned this the hard way, last year we nearly suffered a heat stroke after touring The Ringling Museum in Sarasota. We didn’t even finish seeing all that there was to see. We had to stop multiple times and felt we were about to pass out. Of course, judging by the pictures you would never know. The “feels like” that day was in the one hundreds. After that daymare, we agreed as a family to never do long outdoor activities in the summer, ever again. When one of us forgets we immediately remind the other and it is similar to that feeling you get when someone mentions a specific liquor that gave you THE worst hangover of your life.

Have fun and let go of the mom’s guilt this summer! Your children will cherish the memories.

 Mom to Mom, kids DO NOT care about what you look like in a bathing suit, all they care about is that you get in the water with them, let loose, and have fun. 

Life is much better when you let your inner child come out to play. 

                                                        Love and light, 

                                                                                   Sasha Snow