June 1, 2006

  • Summertime memories

    Goin' to the crick is one of those things I have a fond memory of.  And to the lake.  And to the river.  And on hikes.  And lazing around the house all summer, with cool iced tea, sitting on the porch in the cool of the day with my parents, listening to this cardinal who always -- ALWAYS sang right before the ice cream truck came around the bend.  Getting a bomb pop from the ice cream truck called the Jolly Roger!  Seeing friends in the neighborhood.  Making up fantastical games and forts (a big ol' box makes great forts and club houses).  Card games like War and Slap Jack, pick-up sticks, jacks, jump rope.  Climbing trees, sliding down hills on cardboard boxes (of course after you are done with the club house).  Laying out on a blanket with my Mom and Dad and finding constellations.  Watching for bats. Making perfume from rose petals and mayo (it was one of the grossest things, but we tried with all kinds of stuff from the 'frige and mayo was the best).  All with just me and my brother and an occasional friend.


    I've been thinking about how those kind of summers happened when I was a kid.  Bottom line:  Mom kicked us out of the house!  We weren't "allowed" to come back into the house unless we needed to go to the bathroom.  Honestly, once we got out there, most of the time we didn't want to come back in.  And this was not in a malicious way.  She was busy inside doing "inside stuff" and we were in the way or annoying the crap out of her (didn't know that then, but now that I have two of my own . . . I KNOW!  I get it now!).


    So, this summer I think I'm gonna do a lot more of kickin' my kids out of the house.  They have plenty to do out in that big ol' world of theirs (the backyard).  I'll supply them with a few things new:  a baseball tee and pitch back net; a huge cardboard box; a new sprinkler or maybe two.  They'll have memories of their own creations.  And most of it will have absolutely nothing to do with me.

Comments (5)

  • I have to smile, 'cause that's how my summers were too, when I was a kid. Plus the ocean. I am not at home during the day, so this doesn't solve my problem, exactly, but it did cheer me up about summer. That is how it ought to be. Maybe I could lock the children (teens) out when I leave for work -- or maybe they could get jobs. Then I could clean before I leave and we could all come home to a pleasant summer evening.

  • Oh wow. What great memories!

    My kids liked to make tents with a blanket and rope, or whatever. They'd either just do it by themselves, or with friends. They'd take comics and snacks. Last summer my girl still did this with her best friend, with a tarp slung over the clothesline. I could hear them talking and laughing, and I wondered if this was the last summer of such innocent fun.

  • This cheers me up, too. Maybe I'll just kick those boys right out of the house! :fun:

  • How do you really and truly keep them out of the house?

  • I feel bad that my kids don't have any neighborhood friends - they "only" have each other... but so far they seem o.k. with that - ha! But I think my summer plans will include making them play outside for a set time each day (seems to be a theme here on xanga), and investing in some new outdoor play items, as you mentioned. Great idea! I was thinking trampoline... but actually, now that I think about it, I'm sure my two would be sufficiently amused by fancy bubble making equipment and maybe setting up a tent for them?? I need to take advantage of the fact that they are still young and easily amused :)

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