We’ve made it through the first full week of summer. Gone are my leisurely mornings of quiet work time while both boys are in school; here are the days when every single moment is filled. From 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. or later. There’s not much room for anything besides engaging with them in every way I can devise and fending off their nagging for various electronic devices.
In an attempt to keep my sensory kid, in particular, feeling secure in this transition from school structure-o-rama to easy breeziness, I’ve created a summer rhythm. Every morning starts with “reading time,” in which my will-be first-grader and I practice reading one book. The rest of the day is fluid, save for the fact it holds one centerpiece activity the boys can count on:
Monday = Beach Day
Tuesday = Play Date Day
Wednesday = Culture Day (failed this week, but big plans for a tour of Chinatown and a return visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art in the next two weeks.)
Thursday = Pool Day (it was freezing yesterday. And rainy. But we’ll try again next week.)
Friday = Tag Day
This way, both boys have something they can expect to anchor each day. If I’m being dramatic, I’d say it makes them feel safe and prevents meltdowns, but really it’s just nice to know what comes next. I think we all can agree on that.
So far, I have managed to hit umpteen kid baseball games, host a playdate with five boys on a slack line and exercise lack of responsibility by taking down some serious sauvignon blanc with some mama friends at the end of said play date. I filled up a plastic pool in the back yard, whipped up my grandma’s unstoppable pie crust and turned it into blueberry pie. We played with my parents during a delightful long weekend, visited the Chicago Botanic Garden for the first time and laughed over the boys’ nonsense texts to Daddy. We’ve played tag with a bunch of sweaty kids at the park twice and hit up three street fests including Taste of Randolph, where Charlie and I developed a new love for the band, My My My. You will love them, too. Check it: http://www.mymymyband.com/music
All in all, summer is starting off harmoniously and the transition from kindergarten/preschool to summer-ness has been far less dramatic than the end-of-school transition in years past. If you have a sensory kid and have come up with ideas for how to make sliding into summer comfier for the whole family, email me or leave them in the comments section. I’d love to hear!
Ballers
I used to be precious about this antique couch.
Slackliners
The boys tried to make it like the real beach. Pretty pool.
Reading time
I am obviously not a pastry chef. But it tasted good.
Very happy boys with their grandparents at the botanic gardens.
This hat is intended to save me from botox and juvederm, or whatever stuff the ladies in their mid-30s are doing these days.
Cracking up at ridicu-texts.
Having a track coach for a grandpa has major perks.
Batmen at Midsommarfest
Have street fest, will party.
Love you guys. Happy summer!
Love YOU, Enlightening Elaine. Happy Summer to your brood, too!
I’m right with ya, lady. Despite my daily schedule, multiple playdates, etc. Luca declared he was bored the other day. *sigh*. Hardest part actually is nap time for Finn but using that as reading time with Luca. W&CF bookstore is doing a summer reading challenge with Friends of Peirce. You can pick up reading chart and then get prizes for milestones. Looking forward to our reading nights.
Hang in there!
Great job Emily! You are such a cteative mother. It is so important to expose the kids to as much as possible. Betsy and I learned this in raising Lindsey. I look forward to reading your blog posts.