It’s hard to scroll social media these days without seeing someone reminiscing about the magic of a ’90s summer. It probably makes you think back to your own childhood, too – the long days spent outside, the freedom to roam, and the simple memories that somehow became the ones you cherish most. Naturally, you may want your kids to experience that same easygoing feeling.
But life looks different now, and unfortunately, childhood summers have changed along with it. That’s especially true if you’re a working parent. You may not have the flexibility to spend every summer day with your kids the way your parents did, and trying to recreate your childhood exactly can feel impossible and disheartening.
The good news? You don’t have to. A ’90s summer wasn’t about having endless free time or perfectly planned adventures; it was about creating a relaxed, mellow atmosphere where kids were simply just kids. Even with work and the demands of modern life, you can still give your children a taste of that magic. Here’s how to bring back those nostalgic ’90s summer vibes while balancing the realities of being a working parent.
- Spend as much time outside as possible. Any opportunity you have to be outside, go outside. Have dinner in your backyard or head to to park for a weekend lunch. If you work from home and you don’t have calls, get some work done outside while your kids play with chalk, bubbles, or any other fun activities you have in your backyard. Just getting your kids outside will give them opportunities to be spontaneous, explore and make their own summer magic.
- Give age-appropriate amounts of freedom. Think back to your childhood – chances are, your parents didn’t hover over you. You probably appreciated that, didn’t you? We’re not telling you to leave your 2-year-old alone outside, but we are saying that if your children are a bit older, you can give them freedom to be on their own or with friends, with clear rules and boundaries in place, of course.
- Relax your routine. You’re allowed to take a break from your busyness or your kids’ schedule. Skip evening sports or cut out of work a bit early (if you’re able to) to do some fun summer nighttime activities like heading to a baseball game or a local fair.
- Use PTO to have an unstructured day. You have PTO. Chances are you haven’t taken all your PTO. Use it during the summer to spend time with your kids! You don’t have to have a big vacation planned to use your PTO; take a day here and there and just have an unstructured day. Instead of filling the whole day with plans, see where the day takes you – think ice cream trucks stopping by, playing at your local park, or simply taking a fun “adventure” walk around your neighborhood.
The last thing? Understand that these kinds of days can’t happen every day, and that’s okay. Even giving your kids 15 minutes of focused time on them and whatever activity they want to do in the evenings can make a big difference and give them some of the biggest summer memories.
Source: The Every Mom
