Make Great Memories with Your Family This Summer
Can you still remember the feeling of waking up the first day of summer break and realizing, “I don’t have to do homework tonight!” I can! There was nothing like those summer breaks – – grilling hot dogs in the back yard, and the excitement of loading up the cooler with Cokes and getting the boat packed for a day at the lake. I can still hear the sound of my go-cart firing, my brothers and I took off down the street to head to the creek to fish and swim and play all day with our neighborhood friends.
I remember so much about summer break when I was a kid. At the top of my memory list, are moments like vacation days in the swimming pool when my dad would jump in; playing basketball in the driveway until late into the night when both mom and dad would shoot with us; and, working out in the yard on Saturdays, sweating, and mom bringing dad and us boys a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.
So, what summer memories do you have of growing up? Like me, it probably doesn’t take much effort on your part to recall a few, or a lot, of the “good ole’ days!”
Times have changed but one constant that remains – kids still love making memories with their family in the summer! Brynnan, our youngest told me the other day that some of her best memories growing up have been from things we have done as a family in summers past.
It’s important for you to remember: These are the memory-making moments for your kids.
Right now, your family is writing the story of memories that will stay with your kids for the rest of their lives. I don’t want to overstate this…but it’s true! Just as you can quickly recall so many moments about your life growing up, so too will your kids do the same one day.
Summer is in full swing now. If you haven’t been able to enjoy time with your family yet, it’s not too late to make some great memories!
Take a day trip, go visit a relative your family hasn’t seen in a while, binge watch your favorite family-friendly Netflix series or volunteer for a local non-profit or ministry…really the ideas and opportunities are limitless.
I know a family who has made it their goal to spend their summer weekends visiting every major league baseball field in the country – that’s a lot of hot dogs, Cracker Jacks, and miles on the road! Of course, that’s an expensive family tradition. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make great memories.
One family I know spends one afternoon each week of the summer giving back to the community. They visit places such as their local fire hall, animal shelters, and police precincts. They hand out bottles of water, take a few selfies, and thank the officers, workers, and firefighters for their service and sacrifice to their community. What a great family outing that teaches their kids the importance of community and gratitude!
One event our family has put into motion this summer – a summer socials sabbatical. Specifically, we are unplugging from Snapchat for the summer! I presented the idea to our girls a few weeks ago and they jumped on board immediately! I think they were just waiting for an excuse to get away from all the drama that their socials often add to their lives. I’m super excited to see how that goes this summer.
Before you know it, you’ll be packing school lunches again and staying up late doing homework. So, get going making memories, and enjoy the 92 days of fun in the sun with your kids this summer!
Blessings,
Jeffrey Dean, JeffreyDean.com
