[New post] Weekend Vibes, Edition No. 257: On Summer Plans for Children.
thefashionmagpie posted: " *Image above via the fabulously talented Alexandra Kaehler. My Latest Snag: A Pretty Pink Dress for Spring, A Birthday Dress for Mini, + Activities for the Children. I wrote about this a lot this week, but I am so excited for my new spring dress to"
My Latest Snag: A Pretty Pink Dress for Spring, A Birthday Dress for Mini, + Activities for the Children.
I wrote about this a lot this week, but I am so excited for my new spring dress to arrive! Hoping it has arrived by the time this post goes live so I can wear to a mother-daughter Valentine's tea tomorrow. (Mini will be wearing this -- gorgeous even well beyond Valentine's Day.)
I also picked up this dress for mini's fifth birthday party. The theme is "superhero" so I might pair with these loud sparkly sneaks, but will probably go traditional with glitter mary janes like these, these, or these!
I also bought a couple of activities for the children for upcoming weekends...
P.S. Loads of indoor activities for children here.
The other day, I was fretting about what my children would be doing all summer long. I have enrolled mini in a couple week-long day camps; we have some summer travel and out-of-town guests on calendar; and we will have our full-time nanny for the entirety to supervise them in the sprinkler and at the playground and while making popsicle stick creations, but someone benignly asked "what are your kids doing this summer?" and I froze, caught in that all-too-familiar mom panic. Should I be arranging more for them? Is everyone else sending their children to summer-long enrichment programs? I'm sure I've already missed all the deadlines! (Yikes!). At the same time, I was aware of how unusual my particular circumstances are: I do work full-time, but the hours can be flexible, and so I can accommodate various permutations of childcare coverage, especially since we have a nanny at home. I realize that for many parents, camp, daycare, or some enrichment program must happen. And so perhaps, I thought, I have a unique opportunity to pave a custom path for my children that incorporates a mix of long days in the backyard and structured activities with peers.
I thought for a minute about my own youth. My first recollection: my four siblings and I did not "do" much over the summer as children. We participated in a couple of day camps here and there, but mainly I remember long days at the pool, running around the backyard in bare feet, and month-long trips to Colorado, during which we would go hiking, horseback-riding, and play a lot of Barbies and board games. My mother -- who stayed at home with us and is present in all of these memories -- would occasionally take us on "adventures" to pools and theme parks (can you even imagine one woman taking five young children to King's Dominion? I shudder at the thought) and arrange day dates with family friends, during which we'd play sardines and kickball for hours on end. Now that I think on it, she would also designate each night of the week with a different theme: Monday - board games; Tuesday - family walk; Wednesday - movie night; etc. So, perhaps it is unfair to say "we didn't do much." In fact, on further examination, though we did not participate in many organized camps or enrichment programs, we did more than enough to keep busy and there were still lots of long stretches for reading Nancy Drew and eating popsicles on the asphalt of our front drive and sneaking cold watermelon right out of the fridge.
A girlfriend forwarded me a lovely newsletter from the blog "Montessori in Real Life" and it helped me re-conceptualize --
"As is true for many of you with young children, this winter has been full of starts and stops. For a while there, it felt a bit like a real life game of red light, green light. Just when we would get in the flow of things, an email came in from the kids' school and we were called to a halt again. Although these interruptions became somewhat expected, they never got easier or more "normal" for me. Yet I look at the kids and how seamlessly they have adjusted and accepted these changes over the past two years.
On days we've had school, they are happy to go and eager to spend time with their friends. They are excited for our weekly outings to the pool or play gym. On days when we have been stuck at home, they are…also happy. They play for hours with dirt and water outside and seem to find the most joy filling grocery bags with all their belongings! They snuggle up and ask me to read story after story until I lose my voice (or these days, fall asleep). Their life doesn't feel like it's full of starts and stops - it's just a continuation of play and adventure, sometimes in one place and other times in another."
The post reminded me to let go a little bit. My children will be busy, dirty, barefoot, occasionally bored, and always loved this summer. There may be long weeks of water play and popsicles in the backyard, and that's just fine. They do not need much to feel as though life is a grand adventure.
Onward!
Shopping Break.
+This affordable pillow sham is SO chic. It reminds me of a pattern by Sister Parrish! Imagine them with Jenny Lind beds, these side tables, and these sconces!
+Obsessed with this dress. Lowkey sophisticated chic.
+This dress is also super fun, but a lot louder on the details.
+Carrie Forbes vibes! These remind me of these $40 Etsy sandals so many of you loved last spring! Dead ringer for Carrie Forbes.
+AND -- in a similar vein -- THESE RAFFIA MULES! Wow!!! Such a great price. I feel like these were made to go with Julia Amory shirtdresses as we head towards spring (this one is on sale).
+Another great pair of shorts for a little man this spring. (More boy finds here!)
+This striped blouse is on sale for 70% off. Love the length, the sleeves, everything!
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