Summertime Memories for Children - 2007
This summer my nearly six year old has mastered the two-wheeler bike, surely one of the great milestones of growing up. “That’s doing pretty good for a five year old,” he beams. It’s the same line he gave when he jumped fearlessly off a cliff into a river water hole though he added ‘It’s ok for a five year old’s legs to be a bit nervous when you jump that high.” I reckon these will be his big summer holiday memories leading him bravely into 2006. My nearly eight year old has already clocked up a number of happy times, a first time in a kayak, loads of boogie boarding, hot days swimming in various pools and hanging out with friends. Though I suspect his happiest memory could well be tied up with his Mum’s loosening of the usual rules about time on the PS2!
At least that is what I hope they will take out from the summer. NZ folklore has long summer days painted as a simple and basic formula; summer fun equals family plus BBQ’s plus beaching it as much as possible. Summer fun nowadays for many children is often a complex equation of mum and dad in separate homes, maybe separate towns, Day to Day Care and Contact (Custody and Access) negotiations, step-mothers and/or step-fathers, and with them comes the respective grandparents, possibly re-partnered themselves with children, half-brothers/sisters, varying gaps in ages of these blended families. Let’s just not even try to figure out the sum total including aunts, uncles and cousins.
Children are remarkably clear about who fits where on their tree. And if nurtured successfully there is richness in their family life filled with more children to play with and grow up with while still retaining a unique and single relationship with Mum and Dad.
There is equally fragility to these children’s lives over summer, exhausting as they are shared and juggled, transported and scheduled. A child’s need to belong, to kick back, relax, rejuvenate and play can come secondary to the needs of visitors, of parents’ working demands or even the ratio of beds/carseats.
There’s no simple answer to a winning formula for getting through a summer with children’s happy summer holiday memories intact. Canvassing friends and Family Support Workers at the Napier Family Centre here are some observations to help you and your child/ren have long-lasting summer fun:
- Sleep! Later nights need to be balanced with some early ones and changeovers to Mum/Dad’s place can mean this rhythm gets lost.
- Play! It could be just a couple of hours of playing a favourite game together helps them cope with the whole ‘busy-ness’ of school holiday programmes.
- Energy! To keep all those balls in the air, re-energizing includes allowing yourself to let some things go and rest.
- Nurture and build on your own summer memories. Do something for yourself that is fun and fills your well.
- Do seek help from organisations like Napier Family Centre if it’s all getting too much.
Kath Curran
Funding & Communications Manager