School's Out.

Here's the universal truth of parenting. No matter how much you plan for a fantastic adventure, interest and excitement filled summer your children will remember something completely unrelated to your efforts.

Today we went to a marine hospital to see rescued seal pups. Cute, furry seals, a feel good message, a pretty setting with the beach in the background, a beautiful sunny day - what did my kids love? The gift shop.

The lesson is - don't try too hard. Listen to them - what do they really want to do.
Simplicity is usually the answer. Why won't I take my own advice?
Summer needs to interest me too. I have twelve (long) weeks stretching out in front of me. I will need to get some mental stimulation out of this time. It occurs to me that this is what it really is all about. The places we go are my choice. When we go - up to me. So I just need to be a little clever.

We can go see any museum exhibit that I want to see if I throw an ice-cream in at the end. We can trail round the department store as long as we ride the escalator and stop by the toy shop. We can re-plant my garden as long as there's a refreshing trip to the pool at the end. Luckily for my girls, Disneyland thrills me too.

I know that when my kids go back to school their essay on what they did this summer will not reflect the time invested, the effort made nor the care taken. Their summer will be measured by the number of popsicles consumed and the number of trips through the sprinklers. Ask me if I remember that at week six.