I have the best memories of summers as a kid. Summers always included VBS, time with cousins, and neighborhood friends. Time spent at my grandmother’s house in the country was always a good time. She made country breakfast, and then my cousins would come over, and that is when the fun really started. We would climb the giant fig tree, get chased by the rooster, and find all kinds of things to do outside. As it got too hot or rainy, we moved indoors, where there was one big hall from the front door to the back. We would take turns sitting in a rolling office chair while the others took a running start and hurled us down the big hallway, holding on for dear life. One afternoon, we had the idea for my younger cousin to jump off the bed, grab the light fixture, and swing across the room. She did just that except for the swing part; she immediately went straight to the floor, still holding the light fixture. I’m pretty sure our parents are still mad about that one 40-ish years later. But that sweet soul of a grandmother never raised her voice. She had the smile of an angel and the patience of Job.
Spending time with the other side of the family was just as fun. Those visits were filled with lots of beach time and midnight fishing on the pier. Yes, we were still mischievous with those cousins, too, but those times were more food fights and trying to pierce my grandmother’s ears, which she let us do! Looking back, I am pretty sure the adults were into the margaritas that night, probably as a result of the food fight. The rest of the summer was spent with neighbors running through the sprinklers, riding bikes, making “go-karts” out of scrap materials (brakes not included), and fun crafternoons making coffee can stilts and whatever else the World Book Encyclopedia Craft Edition had in store for us. The point of all this is that, as kids, we never expected our parents to figure out what we would do with our time. We were left to figure it out, and telling them “I’m bored” was not an option. That would end in chores. We joined our creative juices together and made our fun. Yes, it landed us in trouble a few times, but we have great memories and laugh to this day about it all.
While you may not have a grandmother with a terrifying rooster or the World Book Encyclopedia, you have your June “Summer Fun” copy of Eastern Shore Parents! We have filled this issue with ideas and activities to create a summer full of creative thinking and fun. In Christina Katz’s feature Best Summer Ever: Nine Ways To Amp Up Creative Family Fun, you will find ways to curate wonderful crafternoons that are great for those extra hot days and inevitable rainy afternoons. For those days you want to get out of the house, definitely check out our annual Summer Family Fun Guide. The guide is stuffed with amusement parks, hiking trails, library events, and more. If that is not enough, you can find even more to do in the Family Calendar!
Father’s Day is also part of the June festivities. In honor of Father’s Day, we are featuring Rebecca Hasting’s article Celebrate All the Dads in Your Life for Father’s Day. Her feature not only covers ideas for celebrating your biological father but also ways to honor all of the people who play a father-like role in your or your children’s lives. Be it a father, grandfather, uncle, or mentor, make sure you let them know how important they are to you!
Wishing you all a safe and joy-filled summer and Happy Father’s Day!