I once heard that you only get 18 summers with your children. 18 years to make the most of it before they fly the coop and never want to return. I bought into this hook, line, and sinker and will be the first to admit last summer was a hard one for me. Why? A quiet kind of panic was setting in. My firstborn, the one who made me a Mama is 19 years old this summer. Cry. It made my heart hurt. Did this mean she will no longer want to participate in all the crazy summer traditions and vacations? Forget that. I refuse to believe that at the age of 19 our summers must drastically change – but I will admit we are going to have to roll with the punches, adjust the expectations a wee bit. But I firmly believe just because our babies are no longer little that we can’t continue to live our very best lives.
This summer, more than ever before, we will be involving our kiddos in our summer plans and making sure that their vacation is busy, full of love and laughs and gives us all a chance to make those memories that will last a lifetime.
Here’s how we will be making this summer, the best summer ever – here’s our Summer Bucket List.
*One week at a cottage far far up north. This is one tradition that can’t be broken, but we’re mixing it up by bringing boyfriends this time. Good grief, wish me luck.
*Time at the beach. Any beach, all the beaches.
*Golf. It’s time to get in the swing and play at our favourite course. It’s never too late to learn to golf, or at least play a few holes and then head in for dinner!
*Pool Days. Hopefully, so many that we lose track.
*Road Trips. To explore beyond our city and escape the cell phones for a while. Cell phones are both friends and enemies. When you can get your teens to put those down for a while you are truly winning.
*Tree Top Trekking – To indulge the adventure seekers in the family it’s time to try some rope climbing and zip lining.
*Canada’s Wonderland – Because how can you go wrong when your day revolves around screaming on roller coasters and eating as much junk food as humanly possible.
*Movie Daze – Unplug from real life and take an entire day to escape to the roaring 20’s and fashion-forward 80’s with some classic flicks. If your babes don’t know the angst of Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club and 16 Candles have you really done your job?
*Shop ’til Will Drop – Before the end of the summer it’s time to max out those credit cards with a shopping trip like no other, you know, to show them that Mama has skillz.
Life is what you make it and joy can be found around every corner. I will not be defined by having only 18 summers with my kids, I will continue to hope my kids will always want to spend at least a little time with us each summer and when they really do fly the coop for good, rest easy in the knowledge that they will look back on their childhood summers with joy in their hearts and tears of laughter in their eyes.
Wishing you all a memorable, safe and joy-filled summer.
All I want to do for the rest of the summer is sit on the porch and enjoy what’s left of the warm weather
Wonderland was also on ours but being preggo makes it less exciting to go or take the kids.