Michael J. Bowler

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A New Kind Of Summer

June 9, 2020 By Michael J. Bowler 2 Comments

So far, 2020 has turned the world upside down in so many ways, none of them good. As a writer, I have seen much to decry and comment upon, but as the parent of a young child, it’s best that I focus on him and his immediate needs and leave the commentary to others who feel they are more qualified.

In this regard, the school year is trickling to its conclusion, which is probably a relief to every parent in America. Fortunately, Ronald’s transition from partial to total online classes was not traumatic or even difficult for him, so his education was not unduly disrupted. However, his summer will be quite different than it was in 2019.

Ronald loves acting, so his summer camps are always theater-based. He adores Shakespeare plays and was scheduled to attend the Youth Theater Camp at Theatricum Botanicum here in the Los Angeles area for the second year, culminating in the performance of a Shakespeare play. As with all camp activities, this one will now go online. How that will work, or even will it work, are questions that remain unanswered in this new COVID-dominated world.

Later in the summer, he’s scheduled for a musical theater camp that has, of course, also moved online this year. His YMCA soccer program is canceled, as are all youth sports, so this will be a summer of adaption, just as the spring has been. Fortunately, beaches and hiking trails are reopening, so we can get outside the house and breathe in much needed fresh air in those venues.

The one advantage of everything being online is the abundance of possible activities, some of which are free. If you have children and worry about how to keep them busy this summer, check out this link for a few ideas: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/15-online-camps-fill-kids-summer-with-learning-adventures

My one hope about this lockdown is that families will have learned to appreciate each other more than ever before. Hopefully, people will realize we don’t need to over-program our children, or ourselves, for that matter. Just sitting at home after dinner and playing board games is the kind of bonding time that will be gone all too quickly when our kids are grown and moved out on their own.

So here’s my suggestion: let’s enjoy our kids while we can and let them become professional athletes or dancers or actors or scholars or You Tubers or whatever when they’re older. Children want to do anything and everything right now because, like so many adults, they become easily addicted to “likes” and “views” and other forms of vicarious fame. It’s up to us, the parents, to balance out their lives.

No matter how much they may love a sport or dancing or acting or studying or any other pursuit, they need time each day to be children and engage in free play with other children. They may complain when you don’t let them attend a dancing class or soccer practice or play video games every day, but they will thank you down the line when they have children of their own and know how to feel comfortable simply playing with those children or letting them play with each other in unstructured activities.

We must safeguard this fleetingly short period of time for our children, whether they understand the reasons or not, because childhood is too short, and too precious, to waste, and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

Here’s Ronald participating in his Physics and Cooking classes. I’m so grateful that I decided to homeschool him this year because his HS teachers did a fantastic job converting from in-person classes to online and keeping the work hands-on, so much so that Ronald felt completely engaged in the curriculum.

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Filed Under: Raising Healthy Kids, Uncategorized Tagged With: activities for children, activities for tweens, COVID, family time, let kids be kids, online summer camps, parenting advice, parents and children, saving childhood, summer2020, unstructured play

About Michael J. Bowler

Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author who grew up in San Rafael, California. He majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University and earned a master’s in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills. Using his many degrees Michael taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with disabilities. When Michael is not writing you can find him volunteering as a Big Brother with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program. With thirty+ years volunteering within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles Michael is a passionate advocate for the fair treatment of children and teens in California. He hopes his books can show teens they are not alone in their struggles.

Comments

  1. Cyrus Waters says

    July 4, 2020 at 2:25 am

    Hello Michael,

    I did not know you had a blog too! Anyway, I know it is very unfortunate for our youth during this time. Activities are very limited, however I love how you emphasize the importance of parents maximizing their time with their children because childhood goes by fast. Child and parent bonding time is essential for the upbringing and future of the child, and like you said, I think they will appreciate it when they are adults.

    Good to see Ronald is doing well. He looks like he is learning a lot and having fun in the physics and cooking classes. Tell him I said hello if he remembers me.

    Reply
    • Michael J. Bowler says

      March 30, 2021 at 11:49 pm

      Hi Cyrus,

      I don’t use my blog enough like you do to promote positive messages. I should write more, but I’m usually engaged with Ronald. LOL He does remember you, btw. Sending prayers to you and the family.

      Reply

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