I know.
Despite the current frigid temperatures and constant threat of snow and ice, we have spent the past week reading activity descriptions, comparing swimming lessons, confirming dates for things like the county fair and the scouts' camp-out, and trying to pin-point what my boy's interests will be come this summer.
And today I spent this morning enrolling him in several fabulous-sounding experiences. Sports, explorers, horses, music. Sounds great!
But I always get a bit of a heavy heart as I color in the various weeks that have been scheduled for my boy. It seems like, with a stroke of a pen, I have spent his entire summer for him. Already. And, somehow, I miss him. Already.
***
Before I allow myself to become completely depressed, I must remind myself that my boy has plenty of unscheduled time mixed in this summer. We will laugh and we will hang out together. We will go blueberry picking and fishing. We will clean out closets, too, and pick through the mountain of papers that have come home from school.
I always strategically leave the cleaning of closets and the organizing of dresser drawers for the last day before a busy camp week . . . somehow, it eases the blow of time apart, if you know what I mean.
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12 comments:
When I reread this post, I thought someone would raise this point. While I readily agree that many kids are over-scheduled these days, I know my son is not. Truth be told, he is a shy and reserved boy who is benefited by the social interaction that summer activity groups offer.
Also, "these days" and "those days" are vastly different. These days, there are no kids home during the long summer days. There is no one left in the neighborhood to just hang around with. They are all at daycare or "camp" as they call it for older kids. I have tried to have "old fashioned" summers for my kids and they are nothing like we remember summers being. They are alone, with no one around to play. Sad, but true and it must be faced and dealt with.
You are ONE lucky mama!
I think it sounds as though you have selected the very best for your boy! Like berry picking together and just knowing that this one will be more delicious than the one next to it... and some berries not quite ripe enough!.
The heavy heart comes with the realisation that they are growing up and there is nothing we can really do to stop it.... perhaps slow it, but it's inevitable... and then we know that at the end of next summer they will be another year older and 4 inches taller!
Sigh.
It's so nice to make plans for fun things down the road. This is a beautiful post, with so much love in it. My kids are grown, but I can still remember summers, marshmallow roasting, long hot summer days playing in the yard, camp, and time spent together... just doing nothing.... and it brings tears to my eyes. It's obvious that you are savoring you time with your boy... It's the best of times.
Oh, Bobbi, that's just it. I love this little boy so much it's overwhelming. And with each summer comes lots of time and lots of opportunities. And it pains me just a bit more each year when I realize that I can no longer fulfill all his whims and interests all myself. His world is expanding beyond me. It's beautiful and it's heartbreaking all at the same time -- mothers grow up right along with their children, don't they.
What would we do without our mothers! Not much, for sure.
Oooh now I'm wishing that comment hadn't been deleted? I'm so curious...!
I saw your comment on gail's Starbucks post and had to come see what the fuss was about...
Don't you just hate it when some people go visiting blogs dishing up judgement?
Boo to them.
Most of us are just doing our best and making it up as we go.
The last thing we need is nitpickers.
I say good on you for being so well-planned!! We have squandered our summer holiday away :(
xx
I'm not currently in the "parenting business of little ones" but I do remember camp selection.....fondly...I might add!! (O:(O:
Xo
Jo
I know what you mean as I'm, too, looking at time in the future, and trying to find activities that my son might be interested in doing. As he grows I realize how little time we will have together. Beautiful post Renee'!
Awesome post.
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