Summer Parenting.

Parenting during the summer months is, I find, so much easier.  The warm sunny days draws everyone out, be it to the garden, a park, beach, or just for a walk to soak up the rays.  Rye's rambunctious nature flows with the summer days; running, jumping, bouncing, laughing, exploring, splashing, riding, shouting and I find myself feeling more indulgent and less controlling.  Almost like the sun's warmth as pervaded my parenting and limbered it up.



And before I ruminate further, this seems a good spot to place the photo of the solstice bread, I baked.

Personally, I think it looks more like a tortoise, lol.


Anyway,


I had a sense of tightening and being more controlling.  In part that is a consequence of the childminding, raising Rye as free-range as possible is one thing,  being that free with someone else child is something else.  I am more cautious, intervening more, guiding, controlling.


And you know what, I do not like it one little bit.  This week, I've learned it's really not necessary, and life flows so much nicer when I lay off, relax and sit back and observe.  There are some things I simply cannot allow C to do, simply because she's not my child and it's not my decision to let her take the sort of risks that could mean a visit to A&E.   Rye was climbing on the monkey bars again the other day, and I suggested he try going back along them.  He managed it fine a few times, got a little too cocky and fell - from the highest section, whacking his face on the bar as he fell, landing on his back.  Thank goodness playgrounds these days have the cushioned stuff.  Apart from a slight cut inside his cheek from a tooth, which of course bled quite a bit and initially worried me - he was fine, and after cuddles he was back on the bars, conquering them again.  

So yup, I've sat back and intervened less, barely raised my voice, the rising tide of frustrations have been virtually non-existant and , by 'eck, I've enjoyed this week:

  We've played with tunnels.

Created big bubbles at the park.

Played on slides, (those are the monkey bars he fell off to the left, naturally the highest point.)

Bounced.

Chased space hoppers,

Played in the garden, building fancy bridges and eating snacks.

Played in the sandbox,

Eaten lunches in the garden.

A particularly lovely lunch too - pasta with a creamy tomatoe sauce and freshly baked flatbread, using the refrigerated dough.  Using the dough for flatbread is quickly becoming my favourite way of using this dough.... and it has the added benefit of not needing to be rested before baked.

 We've lounged and eaten homemade orange icelollies.

 Lazed in the sun, playing with trains and cars.

Enjoyed delicious mango milkshakes,

And "growing" very milky moustachies. :-)

And today, for lunch, more flatbread- this time a giant pita loaf, that I cut in half, and the children had a quarter each with salad, cheese etc and this is my half, with cucumber, tomatoes, onion etc and homemade humous. YUM.


A week of good eating, laughter, fun and joy...  oh, yes, parenting in the summer is so much easier :-)  And now, my little lad is sat on the sofa next to me, snoring softly after a fun morning of playing with C in the sandpit, on the trampoline, in the paddling pool, on the ride on toys, sat on the play mat on the decking and playing with the basket full of cars.  (I'll bypass over the incident on Thursday, after swimming, which involved the cafe we were eating in, the doorway and Rye taking a pee.... mortification!)


And what's even better about all this out door-ness... my lounge remains tidy and the floor is crumb free... truly a blessing :-)