It’s starting to warm up and the sun is staying out a bit longer, and we are finally getting ready for summer. That means, we are going to be traveling (hopefully) and having to do the shuffle with our children again that includes who is watching them, what camps they’re going to, and all the other summer fun activities.
When I was a kid, summers meant that we were outside all day long and did not come home until we saw the street lights come on. We ran through the woods and camped by the river. It was a different time. As much as I want my kids to run the same way we did, I’m not so sure that would be a good idea. I can’t decide if the world is a different place or if I have gotten softer.
So what is the other option? Do we stay inside and play video games all day, or sit on FaceTime? There has to be some middle ground here. I think the middle ground may be summer camps, family staycations, and the whole family getting outside together.
We talk so much about the kids going outside to play and getting off the screens, but we don’t hear it about us parents or families doing the same. As you may know, I am not a screentime parent, and I don’t stress on that much, but I think in order for us to get the kids out and have fun, we need to take part in that ourselves. After all, we live in south Louisiana, the best place in the world for the outdoors. Our children can’t book the swamp tour or drive themselves to the bike trails. We need to make the effort to light the spark for them and show them the things our state and the outdoors have to offer.
So, my challenge to you this summer is to plan at least two activities a month where, as a family, you get outside and explore what we have to offer. Take your children to see the beach in Grand Isle, to the hills in our state parks, to the amazing waterfalls. Yes, I said waterfalls in Louisiana. We have them and there are a good bit of them. Let me know which ones you find.
In the end, it is up to us to help our children explore things they can’t on their own. We can only ask them to go play in the backyard so many times, and yes that gets boring and they are back inside playing a video game. So, pick some places, show them pictures, and talk about it the weeks leading up to it. Get them excited to the point they are looking for places themselves to visit.
Get out there and have fun this summer. Make it a summer to remember.
