Well, here we are still in the first half of July and still too much time on our actually I should say our kids’, hands until school starts again. The little angels have run the gauntlet and tired of every idea you could possibly come up with to keep them entertained and out of your hair.
Jessica has spilled coke on the computer keyboard, so the only thing you get is smoke and a frying sound when you turn it on. Marty has lost his first baby tooth and continues to cry at the thought of it gone forever from the middle of his face. They had only one favorite Xbox game and baby Joe dropped it in the commode. And too much Kool-Aid has them all bouncing off the walls.
What now, Mom? Dad? Where do we go from here?
Summer vacation is something that all kids live for and some parents anticipate with growing horror----that last day of school----“no more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks!" I’ve been out of school about a bazillion years, but I think it went something like that. I think my parents actually went to a city counsel meeting one time and voted to have school conducted year round. I, and my brothers, was naturally outraged as any red-blooded eight and ten-year-olds could be. And smiled maliciously when the vote was unanimously struck down by the majority (teachers).
Anyway, back to the problem at hand---what to do to burn the rest of summer vacation. In the beginning things always seem to run smoothly. For the first few weeks, the kids seem happy no matter what you find for them to do. But then, as the days and weeks drag on and the July heat becomes oppressive, the kids tend to stay more and more indoors and get more and more on that one last nerve---unless, of course, you’re able to keep up with the Joneses and have your very own in-ground swimming pool---which we don’t.
This particular summer has become one for the books. I like to think that God looked down on my small miserable world and found compassion in his heart, for just as I was about to pull my hair out by its already thinning roots, the good reverend of our local Baptist church knocked upon my door.
It seems that the church has planned to build a nature walk through some neglected and over-grown property directly behind the Sunday school classrooms building. Now what the pastor hoped to drum up was some interest and inexpensive help from the local membership. Could we, please, be persuaded to attend a meeting at the church this very evening to discuss the project and tender some suggestions and ideas? There would be refreshments and the children were all welcome to attend as well. He smiled sweetly at each grubby little face that peeked around my legs. When put in that context, how could anyone refuse? We would be there at six o’clock sharp.
At the meeting were sixteen pairs of parents and twenty-eight kids ranging in ages from two years to seventeen years. Now just how much input via suggestions and ideas, the good reverend required was debatable since from the plans that he had already concocted and spread out on the long table before us we surmised he knew full well where he was going and how he intended to get there. Too late we all realized that he knew once we were inside the church and those huge double doors were securely closed, he wouldn’t lose a one of his dear little fishyees.
He had maps drawn out of the project area and sections marked off with drawings and notes galore. He had even left room on each section of the map to pencil in the names of the volunteer group that would be assigned to work that area. Our pastor was convinced that with everyone that had shown up for the meeting pitching in (down to the smallest), we could finish the whole project a few days before school started in August. We can do this, I know we can---his faith was boundless. Although, a might skeptical, the parents all plastered smiles on their faces and started studying the map.
By the time we were shaking the pastor’s hand and edging toward the door, I think we all felt that we had finally conquered the dilemma of what to do for the remainder of summer vacation. To make the project a little more interesting, we had decided to divide up the children into different family groups---the kids all loved that, they didn’t have to work with mom and dad!
Our first week has just ended and we are all very proud of the retreat that is slowly immerging. We have cleared and cleaned and cut and trimmed. And every day now we only hear the chatter and laughter of children as they work instead of the mumble and grumble of bored siblings. The older boys are helping their fathers build benches from the trees that are being removed and even the tiniest little hands are busy painting the bird houses and feeders built by some of the elementary age group. When it’s too hot to work outside, there are dozens of projects that can be completed inside and parents who can’t spend the whole day join us in the late afternoon or early evening.
No time is wasted and the summer days march on.
Now this is just one project and one summer and you may ask yourself, “what about next summer?" Well, not to worry, we’ve already started thinking about next year. Our local community center is posting a list of future community projects that are just begging for enthusiastic volunteers and I for one plan to make sure my kid’s names are first on the list!
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by Sandra E. Graham, author of “Amos Jakey" published by American Book Publishing, soon to be followed by “Nicolina" and “Ernestine". email grahase@starband.net
