No Fun in Summer
Our nonsensical yet effective summer motto
My kids and I get some weird looks when we tell people our summer motto: No fun in summer!
It came about as I was attempting to cajole the boys into some summertime outing or activity that surely shouldn't require cajoling. So I tried an oft-recommended approach that I rarely lean into: be silly, be lighthearted! This resulted in a reverse psychology experiment of flipping the script: "Oh, good idea guys. We should have NO fun this summer! No [insert activity that I was pushing for], no ice cream, no playing, no books, no fun!"
I got weird looks at first. Laughs followed after they picked up on my joking tone.
Ever since, whenever we're up against a hurdle or a grumpy attitude (i.e. every day), the motto is invoked.
If we're trying to go out for an evening walk and getting resistance I’ll say, “OK NO walking, no fresh air, no family time” and soon enough they chime in by adding their own nos to the list. “No looking for police cars, no running, no throwing rocks, no games!” This usually brings us full circle, back to the task or activity at hand, and with a change of heart.
Dr. Becky would be proud. Her Good Inside parenting paradigm includes the idea of leading with lightness: “Laugher increases connection, which increases cooperation.”
The grandparents and uncles are all in on the joke after spending road trip time and an extra long weekend with me and my kids. They will invoke the motto at will. But no one takes more pleasure in this shtick than my four year old. He eats it up. Its impressive (concerning?) to see his appreciation for sarcasm at just four years old.
It does go over Gus's head a little (he is very literal-minded), but usually he's on board when the rest of us are laughing. Sometimes he will get frustrated and push back: "YES bike ride," he'll demand. Then I'll assure him, yes you're right, we DO want to have fun - let’s do it!
Overall it's brought a lot of laughs, helped de-escalate more than a few situations, and maybe it will even stick as a core childhood memory.
We've been following our local library's Summer Bucket List for (no) fun ideas. The most satisfying part of which might be crossing them off once complete.
Here are some of the activities we’ve completed so far:
Road trip (Home-Carmel-Cayucos-Santa Barbara-Home)
Make our own popsicles and ice cream
Visit a new museum
Do something nice for a neighbor
Make lemonade from scratch (three times already!)
There are a handful left to accomplish with just three weeks left, but these are rising to the top for me:
Go for an early morning hike - This looks to be the fastest way to get a BINGO (if that's indeed the point of this board). An early outing is very much up our alley.
Stargaze
Roast marshmallows
Go wine tasting - This really cracks me up because I thought this was a kids bucket list. I am now determined to take them to a family-friendly winery so that we can X it out!
A few bucket list items that I would add to this list, all of which we’ve done:
Eat blackberries straight off the bush
Go tidepooling
Take a boat ride
Visit a new farmers market
For some inspiration on #19 - Read a book set in summer - here are a few of our favorites:
The Squish by Breanna Carzoo
Pete the Cat Screams for Ice Cream by Kimberly and James Dean (a full ice cream book round up coming soon!)
Hot Dog by Doug Salati
Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall (more pool books to come too!)
Bathe the Cat by Alice McGinty and illustrated by David Roberts (I will put this on every favorite list forever)
I’m looking forward to (and already starting to mourn the end of) our final weeks of no fun summer.