Summer is my favorite time of the year.
I look forward to summer every year. I work as a substitute teacher, so summer means a break from school for me and my children. Summer offers a chance to relax and have fun in the warm, sunny weather. However, things are going to be different this year due to the effects of coronavirus.
For the very first time in my life, I’m dreading summer.
For one thing, being at home instead of school is nothing new or exciting at this point.
Our last day of physically being at school was on March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day. I have already spent 24/7 with my children for the past couple of months. While I love my children, I could really use a break from them. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen for a while longer. I’ll just have to suck it up and keep talking about cars, dragons, and dolls for the foreseeable future. Talk about dreading summer.
For my family, the most devastating blow about this summer is the closure of camps.
My daughter was signed up for a theater camp for the first time this summer and she was so excited. My son has ADHD and really benefits from outdoor camps that keep him active. Now they are canceled. I know it’s necessary to keep everyone safe, but it’s still terrible for children who were excited about going to camp. What on earth am I going to do all summer to keep my children entertained when I can’t send them to any camps? I’m worried that they will just spend the entire summer on their tablets.
I’m also sad that museums will be closed this summer.
I’m particularly sad about the Shelburne Museum. I like to go there once a week in the summer. It’s an easy way to get my kids walking around outside and I don’t have to plan anything to keep them entertained. That’s not an option for this summer. I also like to take weekend day trips to museums in neighboring states, but that will not happen this summer, either. I know that museums are doing their best by offering programming and tours online, but it just isn’t the same. Also, I am so sick of my computer at this point in time!
We won’t see our family from other states.
As of right now, people have to quarantine to come visit, which wouldn’t be very fun for anyone involved. Even if those restrictions lift at some point over the summer, I can’t imagine that anyone will be eager to stuff themselves onto an airplane full of strangers. I can call my family and we have even set up a couple of family Zoom sessions, but it’s really not the same, especially for the kids. At least my kids have a couple of local cousins, who we are finally going to see this weekend after more than two months of no contact.
I will miss theater.
I love theater so much, especially over the summer when I have more time on my hands. Since I’m home with the kids all summer, theater is usually my one chance to be on my own for a bit. However, this year the two shows I was going to act in have been postponed until next year. Since just about every live show has been canceled, I won’t be able to take my daughter on a mommy-daughter date to a show like I usually do. To try to make up for this, we have been watching an online comedy show from the Vermont Comedy Club.
I will do my best to make 2020 a fun summer for my children despite all the setbacks caused by coronavirus.
Since my kids love food, I finally bought a fire pit so we can roast marshmallows and hot dogs at home. I am also planning on buying some sort of sprinkler so the kids can play in the water when the house gets too hot. When we really get stuck for ideas, we work on the Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge. We are attempting some gardening, despite my extensive track record of killing plants. On rainy days, we make popcorn and play board games. Even though I am dreading summer, I will make the best of it for everyone in my family.
How are you making summer fun this year?
