Dear First name / Reader
It’s that time of year again: backpacks are half-empty, the crayons are broken, and the school calendar is filled with “fun days” instead of actual learning. My son is in his second-to-last week of first grade, and next week is packed with events like Water Day, Popcorn/ Stuffie/ Movie Day (yes, that’s a real thing and I want to go too!)
There’s a sweet, sleepy energy in the air right now. The kind of in-between feeling where school is almost over but summer hasn’t quite started. And like a lot of parents, I’m mentally preparing myself for the reality of working from home while a small person follows me around asking for snacks.
This will be the first summer my son isn’t doing any camps. We offered! But he said no, thank you. He wants to stay home to hang out with his best friends: our dog Skylar, our cat Loki, and of course, Pumpkin the lizard. (And I guess, my husband and I made the list too, though maybe not as high up.)
We told him that if he’s skipping camp, he’s also skipping endless TV marathons. So we made a deal. He agreed to do reading, math workbook, and other educational stuff every day (in addition to a lot of swimming, of course!). But he's a bit of a nerd who loves doing academic stuff anyway.
I’m honestly curious how this summer will unfold. There’s a part of me that’s looking forward to the slower mornings and long, unstructured afternoons. And there’s another part that’s quietly panicking about how I’m going to get any writing done. But I am working on finishing some new books that I plan to release later this summer, so there will be plenty of creative chaos to go around.
We do have one trip planned, nothing too wild, just a chance to change scenery and let our brains breathe a little. But mostly, we’re planning to stay close to home. And I’m kind of okay with that.
So now I want to hear from you.
What are your summer plans?
Are you traveling? Are the kids doing camps? Embracing the art of staying home in your pajamas with iced coffee and a good book? Whatever your summer looks like, I’d love to know. Just hit reply and tell me—especially if you’ve got pets who make your plans more interesting.
Wishing you sunny days, light hearts, and maybe even a few dandelions (Pumpkin (our lizard) would approve).
Kate Gable
