I still remember that exhilarating feeling of stepping off the school bus on the final day of classes, back when summer break felt like a true vacation instead of the exhausting three-month ordeal it can seem for adults. I would toss my backpack aside, dash barefoot through lush fields, and abandon my shower routine, opting to swim at the local lake nearly every day. Hygiene? Who cared!
As a teenager, summer was a blast. I juggled a job yet still had enough energy to hang out with friends late into the night, cruising around while listening to the latest hits. But where has that energy gone? I can tell you exactly where: some of it is clinging to my kitchen counters (the stickiest surfaces known to humankind). The rest of it is scattered across my floors, which I vacuum daily thanks to my kids, who traipse in with dirt, leaves, and grass clippings every single time they come home. And let’s not forget the grocery store, where I find myself almost daily, desperately searching for more toilet paper and cheese sticks.
Let’s be honest: summer as an adult can be a drag. There are no automatic vacations just because the sun is shining. A parent’s responsibilities don’t lighten from May to September just because the kids are home. If anything, our schedules get busier as the kids demand constant attention—something they don’t require during the school year.
If I hear my daughter open the fridge and lament that there’s “no food” one more time, I might just lose it. My kids change outfits fifty times a day because they’re perpetually wet, leaving those clothes strewn across the floor, despite my endless reminders that wet clothes don’t belong on the ground. My workload hasn’t lessened; it has only intensified. I crave the freedom to shed my mom jeans and frolic through the sprinklers, perhaps with a mojito in hand. Now that sounds like a real summer vacation!
Instead, I find myself shuttling my children to an endless list of summer activities, spending far too much on camps and ice cream cones. And just when I think I’ve got it under control, I find a few extra kids in my house, raiding our pantry and leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. Sure, I might have agreed to have friends over, but that was probably while I was distracted by my phone, mindlessly saying yes just to enjoy a moment of peace.
Yet, summer isn’t all bad. Sometimes a familiar scent wafts through the air, or I catch my kids doing something that transports me back to the days when I truly did run through sprinklers and drift off to sleep with the hum of an oscillating fan. Remember those? The kind that made your voice sound funny if you talked into them? I can picture myself biking to the beach or lounging under trees with friends, playing games while waiting for the sweet chime of the ice cream truck. Those sunny months of my childhood were a blank canvas painted with vibrant adventures, and I suppose I’m trying to give my kids the same freedom, even if it means sacrificing a little of my own.
Perhaps those nostalgic moments are nudging me to slow down and savor some summer for myself. But then reality hits, and I’m reminded that it’s time to pull out the vacuum again and make another emergency grocery run. This time, though, I’ll be sure to stock up (in bulk) on ingredients for those much-needed mojitos.
Fire up the sprinklers, kids!
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Summary
Summer vacation may have been a dream come true in childhood, but for adults, it often turns into a chaotic juggling act filled with responsibilities and endless errands. Finding moments of nostalgia can be a reminder to slow down and enjoy the season, but the reality of parenting often leaves little room for true relaxation.
Keyphrase: summer vacation for adults
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]