A lot of us look back nostalgia-tinged at times when social media wasn’t pervasive and summers were less scheduled. That’s precisely why you should cancel those packed activities and provide your children with leisurely summers they’ve always dreamed of.
Picture a summertime experience where rather than speeding through camps, sports events, and excursions, your household focuses on straightforward joys such as sharing meals together, playing outdoor games, diving into books, or lounging around the swimming pool. These moments encapsulate what we call “slow summers.” This concept encourages adopting a calmer, less structured way of enjoying the summer months—a deliberate shift away from jam-packed schedules, non-stop engagements, and screen time. The idea revolves around cherishing each moment during this season, truly living it out instead of merely enduring it, all while keeping in mind that you’re granted fewer than eighteen summers with your children.
Audrey Schoen, LMFT
,, mentions that parents should provide their children with that
slow, ’90s summer
We all recall this sentiment: “It’s far less taxing. Children will cherish the way you are and the experience of being around you more than any activities you share or the extravagance of your trips. Should you feel burdened, stressed, and cranky when attempting to create these moments, then you’re concentrating on the incorrect memories.”
She mentions that when you permit yourself to decelerate and fully embrace the basic elements around you, the emphasis shifts towards fostering connections. “This provides ample opportunity for interaction free from any specific objectives or timetables. Consequently, this alleviates stress since there’s no need to fret over preparations, journeys, or achieving a particular outcome.”
Schoen advises, “It’s beneficial to set aside specific times for activities. This could be at home, in a nearby park, or at a communal swimming area. Purchase items like a water slide and a small pool. Stock up on water guns for splash fights. Turn mealtime into an everyday occasion. Keep things simple yet engaging enough for everyone in the family to participate. Fire up the barbecue in the backyard as the children enjoy outdoor games. Organize a relaxed outing to a close-by lake where you can share a potluck-style picnic along with some friendly company—just bring your folding chairs and delicious dishes.”
She would recommend reducing screen time, applicable not only to children but to adults too. “Establish guidelines for when screens should be used, and utilize them judiciously to maintain your mental balance. However, make an effort to set aside these gadgets periodically and allow moments of boredom. It is during such periods that creativity flourishes and true engagement emerges. Restrict extensive excursions and journeys to merely a couple per year.”
I talked with four families regarding their plans for having a leisurely summer.
Outdoor Summer
Last Christmas vacation, Marianne Fransius, who serves as the CEO, took some time off.
Bébé Voyage
Took her 4 and 11-year-olds on an overly ambitious journey. Their itinerary included visits to Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia; midway through, she and her spouse met up with them. However, the challenge lay in visiting numerous locations and frequently switching lodgings—contemplating another extensive multicity adventure now feels draining, particularly as they plan to relocate to Belgium come August.
She plans for them all to pack up before dispatching their belongings via shipping container at the start of June. Then, once school ends, they aim to retreat to their countryside home for a relaxed summertime experience.
Perhaps I’ll enroll the younger one in the nearby day camp for a few weeks,” Fransius suggests. “The elder child will be participating in 12-day activities.
off-grid hiking and camping
However, apart from that, we don’t have anything scheduled.
Her children are excited to splash around in the lake, gather berries, and set up badminton competitions.
“It’s likely that the grandparents will stop by,” she goes on. “Perhaps we’ll invite a few friends as well. We’re also expecting some new neighbors who will join our community, whom we’ll become acquainted with. In any case, for more than a month, we can look forward to cycling trips, visits to farmers’ markets, and swimming in the lake.”
Idle Moments Spent Together and Declining Invitations
With seven kids, Chad McAuliffe, who works as a financial planner and is the founder of
Royal Stone Wealth Management
says that summertime is invariably thrilling, and his family thrives on spontaneity. “We enjoy maintaining an adaptable timetable rather than allowing our schedule to dictate our routines,” he elaborates. “During summers, we spend plenty of time outdoors, seek out discounted spots, use coupons, or visit places that offer free admission. Many activities during this season take place right at home. Those who wish can sleep in, and breakfasts often happen al fresco.”
He mentions that the activities his children will engage in encompass swimming, playing at the sandpit, various games, rollerblading, cycling, swinging from trees, lounging in hammocks, tending to gardens, participating in water-based fun, and much more. The aim for him is to reduce expenses while increasing family bonding time. To him, a relaxed summer equates to leisurely days devoid of hustle and bustle, solely about relishing the season.
“During a laid-back summer, it often involves declining numerous invitations and strategically planning your desired activities. By turning down multiple offers, we organize our summertime as we see fit. This might entail having a week with very little planned. Alternatively, it could involve spending a couple of days engaging in waterfall jumps. Another option may include inviting friends along with their children for an energetic game of kickball. Perhaps each one of us selects a book to read outdoors at various spots such as inside a fort, hanging from a tree swing, sitting on a lawn chair, lounging in a hammock, or relaxing on the back porch,” McAuliff explains.
Traveling Mindfully
Monica Virga Alborno, an engineer and entrepreneur who founded the company
Wanderwild Family Retreats
has two young children, aged four and younger. This summer, they will be traveling through New Jersey, New York, and Norway, but with a thoughtful attitude toward their journeys. “In order to pull this off, I must firmly decline invites that overload our schedule and permit ourselves the freedom to not plan anything.”
She and her loved ones plan to embrace simplicity—filling their days with sunny adventures like discovering nearby lakes and trekking through scenic paths, followed by nights beneath the starlit sky camping right in their own backyard. Recognizing the value of this shift from jam-packed calendars to having extra breathing room, she realizes that these moments can foster deep discussions, spark curiosity, and provide ample opportunity simply to take everything in. “My highest aspiration as a parent is seeing my children grow up wanting to spend time with me due to our bond,” she reflects. “I think slower summer breaks will lead us toward achieving that.”
Summer Without Social Media
Brittany Lewis
As a public relations specialist, she manages her busy life with a three-year-old toddler and a six-and-a-half-month-old infant during what feels like a sluggish summer. “My aim each summer is to make the most of our free time,” she explains. They reside in Milwaukee and enjoy exploring the nearby beaches, neighborhood pools, city parks, and vibrant farmers’ markets among other local attractions.
She’s achieving this through several methods, such as reserving multiple weekend days without any commitments. “Summertime weekends often get booked quickly, yet before you know it, summer has passed and everything seems rushed. So, I’m saving certain weekends to purposefully slow down together—taking strolls, tending to our garden, reading, among other things.”
Lewis intends to remove all his social media apps for the duration of the summer and will instead utilize a vintage-style digital camera to capture photos. “Obviously, I enjoy recording fantastic summertime memories, yet whenever I pull out my phone, even for mere seconds, it becomes quite disruptive and takes me out of the current experience. Therefore, I have decided to uninstall all my social media platforms over the summer months to avoid being drawn into scrolling post-photograph. My plan is to keep my mobile device inside my beach tote, vehicle, or handbag regardless of where we venture.”
She mentions that each morning, she will prepare simple grab-and-go dishes to stock in their family’s picnic hamper. This way, whether they’re enjoying themselves at a park, beach, or pool, they won’t feel pressured to return home just to whip up some food. Additionally, during summertime, she has decided not to enroll her toddler—who is only three—in any planned activities. She prefers keeping his routine flexible rather than being tied down by sports or obligations they both would need to attend regularly.
“What I love about having a toddler is how much they teach us to slow down–to notice the flowers blooming, to notice if the sky is gray or blue, and so on. I think it is good for all of us to do that—to take the time to notice the little things, to not feel rushed, to play uninterrupted, and I think you can do that more when you aren’t rushing from one event to the next,” Lewis acknowledges.
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