Gearing Up to Wind Down

With preschool classes soon winding down for the summer, I'm gearing up for a fun-filled couple of months with Chi-Chi and Muffy. Summer offers a great opportunity for the wee ones to slow down and enjoy a less hectic pace of life. Other than soccer practice a couple of evenings a week, and a family vacation on the beach, our calendar is free and clear. I'll be relying on the boys' own thirst for knowledge and adventure to answer the question, "What shall we do today?".

I'm guessing we won't have to go far to keep these two occupied. Their genuine curiosity and enthusiasm, which seems to be innate in children, never ceases to amaze me. The amount of time my little Muffy spends each day gathering, admiring, studying and entertaining bugs is astounding. This self-proclaimed little scientist is simply fascinated with anything creepy crawly and rejoices whith each new discovery. I'd like to say I share his passion for these crawlies, but to be honest, some of them give me the creepies! There's nothing like settling into my bowl of breakfast granola, when suddenly a June bug is dropped on my lap. Eeek! "Oh Mommy, aren't the June bug's legs beautiful?". Hmmm, the word beautiful is probably a stretch for me on this one! I guess this is an opportunity for me to take a second look at the bug buddies on our doorstep, and perhaps admire them through the eyes of my Muffy. I notice that my children tend to blossom most when they discover and delve into the passions and interests they discover freely on their own. I suppose this is true for all of us, but children seem to demonstrate it so clearly. My child might have difficulty settling and focusing in one setting, but when immersed in an area of genuine interest, his attention span can last for what seems like an eternity. So, I'm hoping that as long as I give them free rein to explore and discover, my boys will do a fine job of setting the agenda for summer fun.

That's not to say I don't have a few ideas under my hat. Of course, I can't resist setting the scene to inspire and promote a little creative action. The latest "prop" arrived on the scene last weekend! While working up a sweat on my morning run last Sunday, I spotted a nifty little boat on the side of the road with a "Free, take me!!" sign posted on it. The sweet little boat was participating in the curbside giveaway held in our community last weekend. It was my lucky day. I cut my run short, sprinted home and made a breathless request for assistance from a friend with a truck. I've been dreaming of a backyard boat for some time and had been waiting for the opportunity to strike. Though not technically sea worthy, our new rig has already seen some action on the high seas and I'm anticipating tons of exciting and imaginative play evolving this summer. As time passes, and the boys outgrow this backyard "toy", I'll have myself one very funky planter to expand the veggie garden!

Until then, "All aboard" for some super summer fun!