Activities for a Summer Well Spent
Why Fun Is a Discipline—And How We’re Practicing It This Summer:
“Summer Fun Days” remind me of my gram and the fact that she has always loved them as much as we did. It’s a tradition I plan to continue for always. I want our days to be packed with adventure, dancing, & all the cousins. Don’t be deceived, I still expect to begrudgingly take my children repeatedly to every public bathroom, remind them we are having a good time when they cry over the expensive orange juice that wasn't to their liking, & fight with my husband before every trip we have ever taken over the entirety of our marriage. Yet, I want to be intentional about practicing fun. I don’t want it to ever become something I remember in my past, but a constant for all my days. So here is to practicing family trips that no longer feel quite like vacations and busting a move on all the dance floors because fun is a discipline, just like everything else and it's so dang worth it.
That being said, I also recognize that when you’re knee deep in laundry, tantrums, and meal planning, a blanket “Have fun and enjoy this season” statement can feel a bit out of touch with reality. It is easy to find yourself feeling overwhelmed and not able to live up to the standard of the you that you wish to be. Yet here's the flip side to that argument: life is happening whether we choose to enjoy it or not. Diapers, dishes, and discipline aren't likely going anywhere, so why not take steps towards practicing fun while we are at it? It may be messy and some days will still be completely UN-fun, but I bet that in time, we will witness the fruits of our efforts. I personally believe it is worth a try.
This particular section of my blog will be devoted to various ideas to engage with our families and enjoy them. The good news is, you will benefit from my trial runs. I test the ideas. You get the wins. You also get to laugh at the fails (you’re welcome). Not every activity can be a win. For many years, it was a joke in my family because when tasked with coming up with fun activities I always managed to write “Can jam” as if fruit preservation was the peak of entertainment. Yes. That’s the entire activity. “Jam canning.” Like it’s 1885 and we’re preparing for winter on the prairie. My family still mocks me. Shoutout to my jam-makers, though—obviously living your best life.
One thing you can come to expect here at Chasing Wrays is the beloved bingo sheet. You may have lived your whole life sadly mistaken about the treasures found within bingo, but that naivety ends today. It could be that my inner nostalgic 90s kid recalls numerous car bingo slide road trips fondly, but it's probably just because bingo is awesome. Each sheet will have a different theme, starting with none other than “Summer Fun Days” giving you activities for a summer well spent. One bingo sheet for going out and one for staying in. Go for blackout and make memories that will last a lifetime. Good or bad— you’ll remember them. And that’s the point. Choose your version of fun, kid friendly or kid free, and I’ll send it straight to your inbox when you subscribe!
