Momservation: Run up a hot street in bare feet, throw a water balloon, or scrounge for change as the ice cream man gets closer and you’ll feel like a kid again.
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There’s one day until school’s out.
Normally this would strike fear in my heart like a spider in the shower.
But this year…I’m as giddy as the kids all hopped up on Mountain Dew.
That’s because I’ve had a change in perspective in the way I view spending a summer with my kids and I can’t wait to get started.
I used to look at summer as a threat to my sanity and well-kept house (just play along with me here) after becoming acclimated to the bicker-free quiet that comes from a 7-hour school day. I imagined the fights over the remote, the that’s-not-fair protests, the tattle-telling shouts of “Mom!”, and the whines about nothing to do followed by the exasperated Mom threat of “If you don’t hurry up and find something then I’ll give you something to do!”
In a preemptive strike against it all I had the kids signed up for every kind of summer camp before you could say, “Have fun and don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen!”
But funny how you’re perspective changes when your kids go from standing toe to toe with you and being able to look you in the bellybutton versus look you in the eye.
You quickly realize time with these kids is fleeting and you’re wasting it hoping you can get four loads of laundry in while you’re waiting from 1 to 5 p.m. for the wireless internet guy. While you’re sending the kids to go collect snails for a nickel a piece from your Geraniums so you can prowl Facebook, an opportunity is slipping by you.
An opportunity to live in the moment.
If this was your last moment, would you be glad you spent it seeing (another) picture of a fringe-friend’s lunch on FB? How about ranting (again) that no one ever turns their stinky socks right side out? Feeling that special glow you get knowing everyone’s laundry is put away?
Me neither.
So I’m putting down the Spray N Wash and leaving the breakfast dishes in the sink to go live in the moment with my kids. As a stay-at-home mom I have this amazing opportunity to do a fun aspect of my job (that includes a summer vacation): play with my children. I only have 18 years to do it and 13 have already flown by.
These aren’t moments I’m willing to waste.
Now let’s go cannonball some kids in the pool…
Back by popular demand:
Summer Fun Wednesdays*
- Raging Waters. General admission is $30, but for $12 more you can get a season pass with no blackout dates, free State Fair entrance and one free bring a friend pass.
- Bowling. When it’s too hot to be outdoors, grab friends and head indoors! At Country Club Lanes it’s $30 a lane per hour, but you can bowl up to 6 people—that’s $5 per person. If you really like bowling their summer special is $100 for a month for kids Mon-Fri. up to 3 games a day.
- Lazer Tag. More indoor fun at Country Club Lanes. $6.50 for a 20 minute game. Wacky Wednesdays buy one game, choose 1 of 4 freebies which includes 20 minutes of bowling or snack bar food. Monday nights special: Fire ‘Til You Tire unlimited lazer tag plus hot dog, nachos or fires and a drink only $15.
- Sky High Sports. Indoor trampolines let you jump your guts out or play a bouncy round of dodgeball for $10 an hour. On Wednesdays the second hour is only $2.
- Outdoor or Indoor Mini Golf. Golfland Sunsplash offers 18 holes of golf for $7.75. If you buy online you can get 4 for Fun Golf for $24. Too hot? How about indoor Monster Mini Golf? Play glow in the dark mini golf under black lighting on a monster themed course. $7 for little monsters, $8 for big monsters.
- Aquatic Centers. The public pool has never been more fun! Water slides, diving boards, water playgrounds, and even underwater music! $7 gets you into Folsom Aquatic Center, $6 to Wackford Aquatic Center in Elk Grove, and $5 to the Roseville Aquatics Complex.
- Surf Xtreme Indoor Surfing. Come for the surfing, stay for the trampoline and paintball! For $40 you get 1 hour of indoor surfing, 1 hour of trampoline jumping, and an all-day paintball pass. A pricier day, but the BEST DAY EVER is off the charts.
- K1 Speed Indoor Kart Racing. Stay cool while you tear up the track! A 12-lap Arrive and Drive special is $19.99 or buy 2 races and get one free for $40. Another too cool adventure for your buck.
- State Fair. It wouldn’t be summer without a fair! And if you have your Raging Waters season pass you get in free and can spend your money on an unlimited ride wristband for $28 (if bought pre-sale before July 11). Or go on a Tuesday when kids 12 and under are free and rides are only $1.
- River Cats Game. Grass seats are just $9.50. Come early for a chance to get autographs, game balls, and pictures with players. Don’t forget a glove!
*For the Sacramento area, but most major cities offer comparable if not same venues.