The time has come: the end of summer. We’ve bought the school supplies and verified our kids actually have clean clothing to wear to school. Some parents rejoice as summer ends. Others mourn the memories made. Some feel a little something in between.
Regardless of your feelings about the summer ending, the start of school brings many new transitions. It brings back the hustle and bustle of a routine. Commitments. Activities. Why not intentionally close out summer before beginning the school year chaos?
No matter how intensely you choose to say goodbye to summer, the memories you made deserve some sort of send-off. Here are a few ways to say goodbye to the summer before school starts.
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A Sweet Treat
Bake a cake or another sweet treat. If your kids are older, search Pinterest for new ideas and have them pick something out. Travel farther out to a special (or new) ice cream shop. Or maybe just swing by your local spot. We're sure no one will complain about how you choose to consume one final summer sweet treat.
One Last Hurrah
If time and schedules allow, consider taking one last trip at the end of the summer. A special trip (day or weekend) before the start of school can make one last memory. Practice slow gratitude. Soak it in. Make final memories together even if you don’t go far from home.
It could even create a tradition that marks a farewell to summer each year.
Soak Up the Sun
If you’re not tired of the sun, spend a final full day soaking it up. Go to the water park, lake, beach, or pool. Take plenty of pictures. Pack a special treat or snack. Make a day of it and go out to dinner or lunch, too. Spend sun up till sundown in the backyard with sprinklers and water balloons. Pack a cooler for the pool or beach. Squeeze in those last few memories as a sunscreen-covered, goodbye to summer.
Photo Memories
To say goodbye to summer, spend some time looking at the pictures you took the last few months. Maybe you took a lot on vacation. Or during the lazy afternoons. Look at them together as a family and chat about their memories. You can even print out an album or scrapbook.
Having a booklet made or the pictures together in one place makes it easier for little kids to flip through them. Since they now have a tangible object to match the sweet memories made, they’ll be talking about both the pictures and memories for years to come.
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A Time of Reflection
Three months of memories. Of sunshine and vacations. Lazy afternoons and water fights. Spend time reflecting on your memories. You can do this individually or as a family. Go around the dinner table and write your favorite memories.
Have each family member say or write a special time that sticks out to them. Share what you liked or didn’t like, what surprised you, or what you want to repeat. Talk about what you would’ve done differently. Share what you hope to do next summer. Or just spend time chatting about what your family learned.
Ideas for reflecting:
- Create goals for the next season (as a family or as individuals).
- Write favorite memories in a jar to save for next summer.
- Spend time journaling about what you liked or what you’d change.
- Talk or write about how everyone is feeling (for smaller children, you can use pictures or other visuals).
Discuss what attitudes and lessons you want to take with you into the school year. Maybe you or your family want to try something new. Look ahead with excitement while acknowledging the memories you made!
Involve Friends
Invite a few friends over for a “Goodbye Summer” get-together. Eat your favorite summery foods (burgers, barbecue, salads, and popsicles, anyone?). Take lots of pictures. Spend time outside. Play yard games and enjoy the slow atmosphere before going back to the rush of the school year.
Involving friends in the end-of-summer festivities is a great way to meet new neighborhood families before the school year. Allowing your child to get to establish friendships with others can help them feel better going into the school year. Especially if anyone is new to the area.
Your farewell to summer can be as formal or informal as you would like. It can be a huge celebration or a casual conversation around the dinner table. You can linger in the goodbye or brush it off quickly as just another season. But ready or not, the school year is about to begin!
