Summer “Bucket Lists” & The Pressure to Do it All

The other day some friends and I were talking about warm-weather activities for our kids, when one of them asked, “Am I the only one who’s feeling totally overwhelmed by how many things there are to do this summer?”

She wasn’t. I’ve definitely felt overwhelmed with all the options for entertaining and enriching our kids during the summer, especially as I worked on putting together the summer events calendars. There are a lot of options for activities, and it’s easy to feel like you’re supposed to do it all!

You’ve probably heard of families creating a “Summer Bucket List,” a list of things to do before summer kicks the proverbial bucket and the kids return to school. Maybe your family has even made its own summer bucket list before…

I personally love to-do lists, and I love the feeling of completing things on my list. But, at the same time, I can also get anxious when I’m staring down a long line of things I have to do—even if they’re fun things!—and it can easily take the joy out of the experience if I make myself a slave to “doing it all.”

I don’t know what stage of parenting you’re in… Maybe you have school-aged kids and just love soaking up every bit of summer fun while your kids are home. Awesome! Please feel free to do it up BIG and enjoy it! 🙂 Maybe you’re an at-home mom of toddlers, and summer is already starting to feel like too much of car-seat buckles and sandy sunscreen and running around, and some days you’d like to just stay put at home. I totally get that. I’m there, too, a lot of the time. Remember that there will be lots of summers for enjoying zoos and beaches and music in the park, and much of the time what our little kids needs most is just some time to connect with mom or dad, some time to get bored and make up their own game, or maybe to find a new way to explore the backyard today.

My family has just three goals for this summer:

Make some memories.
Learn something new. (This year we’re trying tee-ball and swim lessons.)
Enjoy being together.

Item #3 on that list means that, if we’re getting to be so busy with the first two things on the list that we stop enjoying each other’s company, it’s time for us to take a step back and refocus.

Do I have a short list of things I’d like for us to do during the summer? Yes! Am I tied to the list? NO! Will my kids or <gasp!> my Instagram followers miss out if we don’t experience them all? Ha, no way! 😀

The halfway point of summer is coming up next week. Now is a great time to pause and reflect on how summer is going. Is your family too busy? Not busy enough? Have you spent your time so far making memories or just making plans? …or are you even making excuses? Think about how you want to remember this summer. It may not be social media’s version of the #BESTSUMMEREVER, but you can definitely make it the best summer for YOUR family.

~Lauryn

Save

2 COMMENTS

Melissa Clutter | 10th Jul 17

I was recently given the advice to plan a day (or week!) of doing NOTHING. Just “be” at home for that time. That was an eye opener for me.
- STMAmom | 10th Jul 17
  
  That sounds like a good idea. I’d really have to psych myself up for it, though. I go a little stir-crazy being still for long. A great exercise in contentment, for sure!