My summer hasn’t gone exactly as I expected. How about you?
After surviving the hottest summer in the better part of a century, we’ve been enjoying some early fall-like weather. Everything we put off in June and July we’ve been doing in August. So yesterday when we woke up to a blissfully cool morning we decided to hit the zoo, something we had promised Caroline we would do this summer. We had a wonderful time including Caroline and David riding a camel! I was shocked when Caroline said she wanted to do it so happily plunked down the money in order to encourage her risk-taking. 
When we got home from the zoo I put together my grocery list and went to Meijer. When I walked out of Meijer around supper time, I was greeted by a refreshing breeze and thought, “This would be a perfect night for baseball.” We had promised Caroline a trip to see the West Michigan Whitecaps (the Detroit Tigers minor league team) but hadn’t gone yet because of the oppressive heat. When I got home I checked online to see if they had tickets available and we went. We put away the cold groceries and left everything in the bags on the counters and just left. We got our box seat tickets cheap by bringing a church bulletin and then blew a ridiculous amount of money on food and snacks because I simply wanted to say, “Yes.” So Caroline enjoyed her first professional baseball game and we had a great time. The weather was PERFECT and it is very much a family-friendly atmosphere. I’m sure we’ll go again.
I look at my list of things I hoped to get done this summer and find that the vast majority of it never happened. I have a list of items I wanted to write/create and add to Yellow Cottage Media. None of them are done. I had blog posts I wanted to write, articles to send out for publication, and books to read/review. They all sit unfinished.
We did manage to get some painting and landscaping done around here, but not as much as I had hoped for (especially the painting.)
And I really don’t mind.
I made the decision part way through the summer that I could either get frustrated that I wasn’t getting things done on my professional to do list or I could enjoy my family and home. I opted for the enjoyment.
I only get one shot in life at enjoying summer with a five year old. This is it. And so I opted to enjoy and make memories.
So as I think about school starting next week (!) and how little I have planned, I’m tempted to feel a bit panicky. But the reality is I AM spending this time preparing for the school year. I’m making memories and developing strong bonds with my daughter. These “Yes” opportunities will allow me to have a better chance of being successful as I seek to disciple Caroline in the faith and teach her the academics she needs.
So my being scarce around these parts in recent weeks has been good. I’ve been enjoying life with my family, trying my best to be a “Yes” mom.
Is that the ice cream truck I hear? 
What a great attitude to have!
Like you, my summer, and the past ones also, have not turned out like I had planned. I think next year, I will not plan at all and just allow the days to unfold as they wish.
Many blessing to you,
m.
Sometimes that’s just how the cookie crumbles…best laid plans and all.
Glad you’re being that kind of mom. I am trying too. It’s hard, especially when I want to follow my plan. But sometimes you just gotta have fun. Today was our local public school’s first day. I celebrated “back to school” by letting my 3 kids sleep in until 9:00 am. Thought it was a good way to mark today as homeschoolers
We had a “yes” month in June. My husband was really burnt out from a hostile work environment and since he was an instructor at a community college he had the option to take the month off. So we did.
The big kids went to Bible camp where their aunt and uncle work and my husband and I took the younger ones to visit their cousins who are close to their age. We went swimming. We went to museums, too. We spent time with grandparents. We watched movies, slept in, read lots of books, and shopped at thrift stores. Then in July, my husband got a new job at a university! Wow! We had not anticipated that and would not have taken a month’s vacation if we had known. But even though we had to work all of July to get our house ready to sell and our funds are a little short for relocating, I’m grateful that we took time out this summer to have fun!
The cool thing about being a “yes” mom is that you have credibility later, when your kid is in middle school and ALL the kids are doing something you don’t think is prudent or right.
You can say, “You know I like saying ‘yes’ to you, and I do when I can. So if I say ‘no,’ you can trust me that there is a very good reason.”
This does not preclude explaining that reason, of course, which you should do to facilitate your child developing her own good judgment. But just that statement can get your kid to stop fussing about wanting whatever that is, and listen to you.