I recall a July afternoon from my own childhood in the early ’80s vividly. Clad in a sparkly pink tutu, I raced around the cracked plastic pool in our backyard, dodging a hose that lay lazily on the grass. My little sister, blissfully unaware of the world around her, splashed joyfully in the murky water, her laughter mingling with the sounds of summer. Our parents lounged in vinyl folding chairs—my mother, a vision of carefree leisure, applying baby oil and painting her toes a vibrant shade of fuchsia, while my father lost himself in a paperback, his mustache bobbing with each chuckle.
That day, my father handed me a 17-cent container of iodized salt and told me that if I managed to sprinkle it on the tail of a sparrow, I could keep the bird as a pet. Excitement bubbled within me as I dashed around the yard, salt in hand, eager to catch a feathered friend. Though I never managed to seize a bird, I did gain something far more valuable—a perspective on life.
Moments matter, and they don’t have to be extraordinary to be meaningful. It doesn’t matter if they occur in a weedy yard or a bustling amusement park; what truly counts is the joy and presence we find within them.
I understand that for many families, summer camps are a necessity. However, given my work schedule and the costs associated with daycare, my husband and I decided to create “Camp Freedom” at home for our children this summer, under the supervision of Camp Counselor Mom and our laid-back babysitter, Lisa.
While structured activities at a summer camp can be enriching, my children discovered that unstructured time can be equally rewarding. Whether they were lounging in bed past breakfast, digging holes in the backyard, or crafting robots from dollar store materials, they were learning valuable lessons through play.
They enjoyed experimenting by tossing eggs off the deck to see how they would land, visiting the local library to explore stories about Greek myths, and constructing elaborate forts with sheets and thumbtacks. They spent hours trying to capture critters and pretending to take a train ride to the Eiffel Tower, all while inventing new “cookie recipes” from cake mix and butter and drawing comics to sell at the end of the driveway.
In choosing not to engage in any extraordinary activities this summer, my kids experienced a wild, creative, and spontaneous season reminiscent of my own magical childhood. I hope they look back fondly on these moments, remembering that life is composed of simple yet significant experiences that don’t need to be labeled as “incredible” to have lasting value.
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In summary, my children’s summer was filled with moments of creativity and spontaneity that will shape their memories for years to come, much like the joyful experiences of my own childhood.