Summer vacation is officially here for local kids, and I hope they take full advantage of it by getting outside and turning every day into an adventure. When I was a kid, my days were filled with bike rides to the store for candy, long afternoons on horseback, reading until the sun went down, swimming until my fingers wrinkled, and building forts like we were discovering new worlds. We only came inside for Kool-Aid, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or when Mom rang the bell from the front porch to call us to dinner. I came home with more than my share of scraped knees, sunburns, and bug bites—but somehow, they felt more like badges of honor than battle scars for a day well played.
But the real magic happened at night—games of flashlight hide-and-seek, all-night Uno tournaments in the basement (punctuated by a “Quiet down, down there!” from upstairs), and ghost stories whispered under blankets until we were too scared to peek out. That’s the kind of summer that made childhood unforgettable.
These days, it’s easy to let our kids get lost in screens and let time slip by. But when that happens, they don’t just lose hours—they lose connection, laughter, making new friends and memories they’ll carry forever.
I know many parents still have to work and can’t always plan summer adventures, but that’s okay—your community has your back. Whether it’s the city, the library, or the local schools, there are free and fun opportunities waiting. So, let’s make the most of what’s out there, help our kids unplug, and give them the kind of summer they’ll always remember.
