Well, we are approaching the end of summer. It has come and gone way too quickly if you ask me. This has for sure been a different summer experience than what we are used to, and I hope that it is the only summer that we have to do like this. I know that I have learned a lot about myself, my husband, and our daughter over the last couple of months as I watched us all try to adjust to a new way of life. One of the biggest things that I learned over the last little while is that I seriously needed to reexamine my priorities. “In a minute” is a phrase that I used to use far too often, and one that I am working on removing from my vocabulary. My reasoning is this – “in a minute” is usually the response when I am asked to do something with a family member (or if it’s my family that live outside the home like my parents or sisters I often say “I’m too busy right now, get me next time”). The problem is that for me, “in a minute” typically leads to me forgetting about it and then running out of time.
“In a minute” has been replaced with “on my way” or “I can’t wait! Looking forward to it!” Being separated from virtually everyone has been one of the hardest things for me as I need friends and family, they are how I rejuvenate. Now that our lives are beginning to get back to a semblance of normalcy, I relish the time that I am able to spend with them (even if I have to remain 6 feet away from some). The past couple of months have taught me that there is nothing more important than time with your friends and family. So as we prepare to end the summer, as we prepare to step into a new version of “normal” (whatever that may look like), find some time to do some activities as a family.
Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
- Take silly selfies
- Go for a bike ride through a park or trail
- Have a family game night
- Put on an outdoor concert (Karaoke night anyone?)
- Go star gazing
- Have a campout in your backyard
- Go for a picnic in the park
- Eat ice cream while you watch the sunset
- Blow giant bubbles
- Make bird feeders
- Raise butterflies and release them