Summering, Freely

Aiden's summers used to be jam packed, pretty much from sun up to sun down -- summer day camp, speciality camps, and back-to-back activities. I used to be determined to keep him on somewhat of a schedule so that he'd ease back into the swing of things once school started.

But over the last few weeks of our summer break, we've been summering... freely. Every morning when he wakes up, we decide what we'll do on that particular day. We don't have a set schedule, but we're somehow settled into somewhat of a routine that goes a little something like this:

Pool.

Beach.

Playground.

Splash Pad.

Repeat.

When we get back home, he reads for an hour or so and plays with his toys. Sometimes he goes back outside with his scooter or bike, and sometimes he just plays with his nerf guns around the house.

And sometimes... he plays on his iPad.

Next summer he may be in summer camp for the entire summer. In a few weeks, he'll be in summer camp for a couple weeks so that he gets used to somewhat of a schedule before he starts fourth grade.

But for now... he's summering, freely. He's going to bed late and waking up late. He's cooking his own breakfast when he wakes up. He's reading and relaxing and taking the time to find new things that interest him like building forts, playing board games, researching funny things on the internet.

He's free to worry about "kid stuff" -- the pool... beach... playground... splash pad... repeat. He's summering, freely. And after the year that he's had, he deserves to do just that.

Summer, freely.

I wouldn't have it any other way.