Overall, I would consider myself a pretty good mom.
Of course, some days are better than others, but at the end of the day, I give myself a more than passing grade for the job I’m doing. Sure, there are days and times throughout the year when motherhood feels exhausting, overwhelming, and like it’s sucking up every inch of my life, but in the summer, I love that it’s all consuming.
Each season brings its own successes and challenges, but this season of motherhood…this summertime season, is one I’m really good at.
I love that I get to mother while hanging out at the park, or the pool, or the zoo, or just around in our backyard. I love that our days are long and filled with sunshine, sunscreen, and probably too many sweets.
Yes, I do love being a mom in every other season, but I especially love being a mom in the summertime.
Summertime Mom is cool and calm. She is fun-loving and carefree. She’s flexible and open to adventure. She gets less rattled. She lets things slide off her back. Life is busy as summertime mom but when she finally gets into bed, she is exhausted in the best way possible and can’t wait for what the next day brings.
She loves that her kids always seem to smell like some combination of sunscreen, chlorine, bbq smoke, and bug spray. She doesn’t mind that her kids are covered in dirt or sand from the hours they spent playing outside or at the beach. She adores that summertime baths are actually needed as she washes away the layers of fun in preparation for the next day.
She doesn’t mind the sticky hands from devouring pounds of watermelon since she just throws on the sprinklers for her kids to run through. She packs picnic lunches with ease, remembers to buy popsicles at the store, and isn’t opposed to the occasional ice cream dinner.
Summertime mom isn’t perfect. Long, hot days can be hard on everyone. And so, she’s still a big fan of naptime and schedules. She often hires babysitters when she needs a break from her kids. Despite the season, you can still find her counting down the minutes until bedtime so she can quietly partake in a glass of rose or the hottest Netflix summer show.
Life is about balance. There should be a time for sadness; a time for silence; a time for anger. But summertime is the time for fun and laughter, food, sun, and late nights.
I love being summertime mom. I hope my kids enjoy her as much as I do.
I can totally relate to this article. Being a teacher this is the time if year I really get to enjoy my own kids.
Yes! I can imagine that as a mother and a teacher summertime is glorious for you!