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Get Past The Bummer

The second week of June is always a bit of a bummer for me because the real summer stuff hasn’t started yet, and my kids have realized that they are stuck with me. All the fun and excitement of no school is now the drudgery of no school. Gone are those mornings where I could sit inside a coffee shop and focus on my work. Now my mornings are filled with screams, fights, and yes, a good bit of laughter because the kids are here. Summer is here, and it isn’t ending anytime soon. Instead of looking at it with trepidation, see summer as an opportunity to get to the good part of parenting.

See summer as an opportunity to get to the good part of parenting. Share on X

While yes, almost everyone has fallen behind in their studies, maybe that is an ok thing. Our children aren’t machines. They aren’t meant to produce good grades but imagine and live in worlds of adventure. Sometimes those older kids need the help of a good book or a videogame, but the younger ones just need someone willing to go to that world with them. It is the good part of parenting to explore those worlds.

An Invitation

Our children always leave us the invitation; maybe this summer take the invite. Send in the RSVP, and perhaps even show up dressed for adventure. Getting to the good part of parenting takes some effort. It takes some paint, some noise, a whole lot of silliness, and a willingness to give up control. It isn’t our world we are going to; it’s theirs. So relax, follow their weird and abstract rules. What have you to lose? Instead, imagine what you have to gain by getting to the good part of parenting.

It takes some paint, some noise, a whole lot of silliness, and a willingness to give up control. Share on X

What I am talking about is play. The best part of parenting is remembering how to play and imagine worlds within our scary and frightening world laden with sickness and death. We go on the adventure. While we might not be the hero, we can be the goofy sidekick or the dastardly villain who gets defeated. 

How to Get to The Good Part of Parenting

Play with your kids this summer. Put down the phone. Turn off the screen (and notifications). Dive in and learn something about your kids. You might even learn something about yourself. I guarantee that if you stick with it, your relationship with your child will get better. Don’t forget to approach them on their terms. You are playing with them rather than getting them to play with you.

Good luck. I need it too.