Let's Have A B+ Summer
And be not only happy, but excited about it!
Editor’s Note: This one mostly goes out to my fellow parents who will be home with kids this summer, but if you’re a parent going into work or if these aren’t days of active parenting, please still read on. I think there are some practices you could add to your life. Or at least enjoy a really tasty, really simple chicken parm recipe.
Calling all local folks - I still have space in this Friday’s Yoga + Food event from 5:30 - 7:30 in Tosa. Here’s more info!
We talk about ‘90s summers as all sprinklers and bike rides until dusk. That wasn’t my experience, but mine was just as sweet.
There was a pool in the backyard, a bike trail down the street, and friends around the city, but mostly it was a routine with mom.
The Today Show, a talk show (Montel Williams? Rosie O’Donnell? Sally Jesse Raphael?). Then Days of Our Lives, Santa Barbara, and the other one with the doll that came alive. Timmy was his name. I think Passions was the show. Then on to the pre-Food Network cooking shows. Martha Stewart, Yan Can Cook, Frugal Gourmet. PBS & TLC until 5. I think there was A Wedding Story. Definitely A Baby Story, but first we watched a lot of “garping up the plate” with dots of sauce & sprigs of parsley.
We’d go on to make dinner where we tried that ourselves, but it’s hard to dress up boxed spaghetti.
(P.S. I’ve been racking my brain for what we ate for lunch and honestly have no idea. Solidly thinking it might have been six Mr. Freeze ice pops eaten throughout the day. What did you eat for lunch in the summer as a kid??)
I know we both read a lot of books. We had a few good heart-to-hearts. I think we got dressed everyday. We were excited to see dad when he got home from work, but it’s not like we were waiting on him.
We must have gone out in the world sometime, right?! Seen other people?? I must have riden my bike at least once, no??
What this has in common with the mythical summer of popsicles and drinking out of the hose is simple. Literally.
Summer was simple.
No Fun Day Fridays. No sports leagues. No pantries stocked with 15 different kinds of heathy, delicious, and definitely homemade snacks. No Amazon hauls to make it all look of the moment.
And here’s the big one - no judgement. No judgement of yourself, your kids, or others - adults or children.
Yes, I know there must have been talk about the mom who let her kids do X, Y, or Z. Our moms were definitely just as frantic (and failing?) to feel good in their bodies as we are. But you know what? Every mom I knew wanted to be Martha Stewart, but you know what Martha Stewart didn’t give a s%it about? Kids.
Kids of the 90s just did their thing. Sometimes it involved their parents. Sometimes it didn’t. Sometimes they got into a bit of silly trouble, but for the most part the kids were just silly.
All of this to say, this isn’t going to be the Joos Family Summer of Big Adventure. Rather, I know I’d be better served to just let the experience wash over us. Leave the markers and paints on the kitchen table. See where the wind blows on any given day. Get so many library books it hurts to carry the bag but not fret if we only read a few before trying again. Tell them to go ride their bikes to see if a friend is home. Then I’ll go putz in the garden with no agenda. Let the house get messy and every Saturday become a loose routine of farmers market, pool, and a movie on the couch.
Schedules? Never met ‘em. Big Plans? Not for me.
Can they handle it? Can I? I guess we’ll see!
P.P.S. I brought up The Art of Frugal Hedonism book last week as it really tests the hypothesis that you don’t need much money to have a great time. If you’re struggling to think about how this actually works, I really recommend this book!
Speaking of putting in half the effort for 100% of the return, may I present my favorite chicken parmigiana recipe. Once again your Italian grandma may shake her fist at me as there is nary a breaded cutlet involved. Instead we use ground chicken to get to the cheesy, herbaceous result much faster.
Chicken Parmesan-Inspired Spaghetti
Enjoy this take on chicken-parmesan on any given Tuesday night as it comes together in no time flat! It’s perfect for summer when no one wants to slave away in the kitchen.
For the lady, how about a nervous system reset via a little grounding? Woowoo? Absolutely. BUT, as Ms. Keller tells us, also backed by science. And I mean doesn’t grass under your toes just feel the best??
For this week’s homework assignment, may I suggest you go get a library card or renew your old one? Here’s how to do it if you live in Milwaukee county. If you haven’t been to the library lately, you’ll be surprised with what you’ll find. It’s so much more than just (paper) books now! If you’re in the area, I recommend Whitefish Bay’s library for an in-person stop as they have a great selection of puzzles, outdoor games, tools, and more!
If you need a book recommendation to get started, I’ve really enjoyed The Complete Jaipur Trilogy of books - The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. They each explore a time, place, and career I’d never considered before with just enough plot to make them interesting, but not too much to take you out of a summer reading headspace.
Let’s employ a Coco Chanel-inspired rule this summer. Where she suggests to remove one accessory before leaving the house, I want you to think about one less thing you could do on any given day this summer.
Just buy the snacks instead of make them. Better yet, don’t pack snacks at all. They know where the kitchen is. Take one activity out of your weeknight routines. Do not sign them up for the summer reading challenge.
What could you and yours skip out on to make it a perfect B+ summer??
I remember the preparation for summers at home with my kids and the anxiety of how it would all work, but now that they no longer need me for summer plans, I miss those summers so much!