Independence day (the Anniversary of the adoption of The Declaration of Independence ) is celebrated on the 4th of July as a National Holiday. It is also a traditional holiday for family gatherings. Some families volunteer to serve breakfast in the park, others will get creative and participate in a local parade. Some will just attend the parade or gather for a barbecue lunch or dinner. For the competitive bunch, it includes a game of golf, croquet, or an intergenerational softball game. When the parades and games are over, and everyone's fingers are licked clean, the best is still yet to come—the fireworks display.

My family has participated in a small town parade for over 30 years. In the early years, we decorated our bikes and rode the horses thru this one street town. Later, my sister decorated an old hay wagon and made us all dress up real funky with banners across our chest as if we were the town’s royalty. We made a dress of newspaper for my grandmother – she was Mis Print!!! Her wave was as grand as she was! Most years, we loaded into the back of my fathers “fire engine” , threw candy to the crowd while patriotic music blared from the cab. Many times we’d later return to town to check out the street dance, the horseshoe tournament, or the scores from the ball game. We couldn’t always stick around for the fireworks display, but we had our own fun back home cranking the old ice cream maker. My children have already reminded their grandfather to purchase all the ingredients for a fresh batch of homemade ice cream.

I am sure each of you celebrates your own traditions in your own special way. In this over-scheduled world, family traditions offer stability during times of stress or transition. They remind us of our ancestors, reinforce our values, and give family members a sense of belonging. These traditions help remind us to take time for our family. Have a great holiday weekend!

Posted by Susan at 6/28/2004 02:57:42 PM | Link

 
It is my daughter's sixteenth birthday today. She took her driver's license exam today and passed!! Many parents have expressed to me the freedom that both she and I will now have. “Now that she is a legal driver, she can drive herself to all her activities and functions.” My daughter even hopes that it will allow her to participate in more dance classes because it won’t impose on our schedule. My husband and I don't seem to be thinking like everyone else. Allowing our daughter more dance classes because it no longer requires a time commitment from us, just doesn’t make sense to us. We will see less of each other and she won't be participating in our treasured family activities. Giving her driving freedom and independence affects the whole family (and my nerves) and how we spend our time.

This passage into being a legal driver will not automatically grant her the car keys. While I don’t always enjoy being the chauffer, I do recognize that some quality conversations do happen to and fro. I am afraid I will miss out on some good opportunities here! Some parents say we just need to let go! I guess we’re just not ready to let go for these reasons. Give us a few months (or a few years) to accept and adapt our family to the ever-changing needs of our children. We are always challenged to find the right balance.

Posted by Susan at 6/15/2004 03:30:39 PM | Link

 
Oh my goodness! Today is the last day of school for us in the Wayzata School district. We (my family) have been so busy the past few weeks with Mother’s Day, end of the year awards and tournaments, recitals, graduation parties, etc.

Our summer routine is much different than the school year. I gladly say good-bye to my nightly routine of making sure homework is completed and lunches packed. We are not as strict on bedtime, and for the most part, the kids get to sleep in. Maybe even stay in their pajamas until lunchtime. Oh, but was it breakfast or lunch they ate at 11:30 am? I long for the unstructured days of summer, but I also miss the structure that helps us keep our rituals. If the kids are up late, we often say good-bye to our bedtime rituals. My son won’t have his private breakfast date with my husband for another 3 months. We will however, do more things together as a whole family. Weather permitting, most evenings we will dine al fresco. Somehow dining on our deck prompts more conversations and it entices us to play a backyard game or go for a bike ride after our meal.

I always ask my children to write a “50 things to do this summer” list. I ask they write it before the last day of school, and the items on the list must be things they can do on their own, without a friend, or without me driving them somewhere. (We also have another list of general fun things to do). This list helps them find pleasures with the simple things in life, and is a great tool if they come to you saying “I’m bored”.

So, this summer, take back some family time, create some new rituals, and enjoy the simple things of each day.

Be sure to see the Stone Soup cartoon from last week, starting with June 1.

Posted by Susan at 6/09/2004 09:07:46 AM | Link