reclaiming summer

Summer Fun as Gen Z

I grew up in Long Island, New York, in a middle-class neighborhood.   The summers were full of laughing children, and ice cream trucks.  Sprinklers spun water webs, bikes littered the street and kids spent hours in the park.  Summer consisted of  ice pops, bubble gum, and recreational baseball games where the girls would sit on the bleachers for hours and talk and giggle.  Teenagers borrowed their parents’ car to get out of the house and fireflies filled the night sky while kids ran around with jars.

Independence and Childhood

My generation was more independent than today’s kids. During the summer my friends and I would hop on our bicycles and pedal up to Carmen Avenue pool.  Our pool pass consisted of a rubber band bangle around our ankles with a metal charm attached.  We thought we looked super cool.  There were no fancy chairs, we would throw down a towel on the white concrete and swim our day away.  During the day the library’s book mobile would pull up or a mobile puppet show would be performing.  Carvel ice cream was next to the pool and we’d get a large sundae and then head over to J&R to buy candy.  Kids had no problem filling up their summer days.

Today, Summer is a Ghost-town

Pressure on mom to find camps and daycares for their children starts in the springtime.  Those children who are not enrolled in camps  find themselves alone during the day.   Doorbells are silent and the kids resort to technology for entertainment or mom becomes their personal tour guide.  Neither is the best option if you ask me.

Going Back to the Basics

I often wonder if we can reclaim summer.   It will take hard work and require effort.  There are books to read, balls to kick, chalk to draw with, and bikes to ride around the neighborhood.  If it’s hot let them put on their bathing suits, run through an old fashioned sprinkler system connected to a hose, and send them hunting for their friends as the sun dries their skin.   Let’s go back to the basics.

Many of my friends are on vacation in July. I think we parents have to claim one day during the week as our secret summer day.  On that day we will all agree to be home doing nothing.  We will also all agree to shut down our children’s electronics.  Inevitably, around 11am, they will all come to us and complain that they are bored and then….and then we will pounce!  We will tell them to go knock on doors, will set up the sprinklers, will take out the ice pops and we will show them how summer can be.  We will accidentally walk into each other’s yards and perhaps we will sip homemade ice tea while we mistakenly walk into the sprinkler ourselves in an effort to cool down.   Dads will come home, throw some burgers on the grill and see who can catch fireflies.  It will be all a bit pre-planned but they won’t know that.

Who’s in?  Let’s reclaim summer for our children.


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7 responses to “Summer Fun as Gen Z”

  1. Cynthia Hines Miller via Facebook Avatar
    Cynthia Hines Miller via Facebook

    Yep, I’m in. We don’t do a bunch of camps all summer…downtime is good!! With that being said, my kids still need to keep up with their reading and other skills here and there too…downtime good, brain dead, not so good.

  2. Katrina Avatar
    Katrina

    You just brought me back to some amazing memories, and I so agree!!!! Kids today are so wrapped up in their electronics and it is an easy way for the moms to not have to entertain them. I have to admit I am sometimes one of those moms, but not often ;-). I like to get out and have just as much fun, so if you hear of a crazy mom running through the sprinkler in Lorton, you know it is me! THANKS FOR BRINGING BACK A GREAT IDEA.

  3. Mom Avatar
    Mom

    I Absolutely LOVE this because your memories are my memories too!! Those were relaxing, fun-filled, carefree days ..they were wonderful and it made my life so full. Glad those days made you happy as well.

    P.S. (I also remember getting up at 5:30 AM to head down to Carmen Avenue Pool with coffee and the other mothers to stand on line for the “limited availability” 8AM registration for the “American Red Cross Swim Lessons”–but so worthwhile…Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

  4. Carolyn Gagnon Elmore via Facebook Avatar
    Carolyn Gagnon Elmore via Facebook

    Love the way you wrote this. Ash can watch my kids and I’ll come run through the sprinkler with you next week. Lol

  5. Brenda Avatar
    Brenda

    Can we come too?? I remember those days very well and I would love Jaelyn to experience that!

  6. Ann Marie Avatar
    Ann Marie

    I AM SOOO IN! Remember and did it all Lo… bikes, ice cream truck, ice pops… the sprinkler was the best! I am texting my local mom’s now for the day… hope you have a great Summer with your kids.

    Ann Marie

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Lorraine Lundqvist

A blog highlighting my journey through midlife and beyond. Join me as I enjoy the ups and humorous downs of life over 40.

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