I've been lazy with the posts. It is summer time after all. As a parent I have always been a little too anxious about how my kids are spending their free time. Should it be structured, learning rich, safe.....or, should it be free, laid back and at their pace. This Summer I am trying to 'let go' of 'all structure, all the time.' With so much to suck up a kid's attention from tv, to gameboy to video games I have to occasionally step in to say 'go play outside' but I must admit that this summer I've been much more hands off. Here's what I've noticed. When left to their own devices my kids and their friends will do all sorts of things without me having to be the recreation director. They may play game boy, while they are watching The Simpsons reruns and then spontaneously all decide to go out side and have a water fight. And then they are back in to destroy the play room. It's beautiful. And all I have to do is make sure they are safe without being heavy handed. It really is wonderful to sit in the background and just listen to a bunch of kids (in this case ages 5 to 12) just having lazy fun. It's the payoff in my quest to be a more 'mindful' parent.
It's not that I am against planned activities, but having some weeks that are down time and some that are camp seems like it has been a good combination. It also leaves room for spontaneity. We've been on an impromptu canoe trip and a neighbor invited my kids at the last minute to go on a 'river cruise' in Ashland City (north of Nashville).
Both my kids begin two weeks of camp tomorrow (she will be in her first day camp and he will be going to over-night camp). It should be a nice break for us but I don't think it will take long for us to miss 'listening in' to all the goings on in the play room.
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