My dishwasher's possessed

one mom's attempt to find humor in the chaos

A Summer Bucket List for Mom

By

A Summer Bucket List for Mom

Every summer I vow to make a summertime bucket list with my family.

Have you ever seen one of these? They’re a list of ideas to spark a summer full of enjoyment and learning.

They can be as ambitious as a trip abroad, as fun as a day at the zoo, or as simple as a campout in the backyard. Maybe there’s a series of books you would like to read as a family. You could try every flavor of ice cream at Baskin Robbins or Ben & Jerry’s. The goals’ budget and scope are less important than getting your family to set goals for the summer and accomplish each one.

I am hoping that this is the year we finally draw up our family list.

But I decided to take matters into my own hands and draw up a bucket list that only a mom could truly appreciate. This is what mine would include:

A Mother’s Summer Bucket List:

  • Organize and color coordinate every family member’s closet, with children not only willingly helping but serenading you with traditional folk songs.
  • Get the family to weed flower beds without having to raise your voice, bribe them with puppies, or threaten to cut off all use of YouTube and Instagram
  • Hear the kids say, “Mom, relax and read a book. We’ll put sunblock on each other. (Extra star if this happens and no sibling injuries occur.)
  • Have 24 hours go by without saying, “For the love of all that is good and holy please don’t _______________ again.”
  • Never having to say, “No I don’t think it’s a good idea that you built a swimming pool in the front yard.” Again.
  • Go a whole week without having to hear one of your darlings say, “I’m bored,” “I don’t want to,” or “But he likes it.”
  • Spend a rainy day at the movies. See the whole movie without anyone throwing up or needing 10 bathroom breaks. Extra star if we leave the theater with more popcorn in our stomachs than on the floor.
  • Buy and/or make everybody’s Christmas gift. When Christmas time comes around, actually remember where you put the gifts.
  • Make a whole dinner from the vegetables and herbs you grew in your garden. Extra star if anyone other than you eats it.
  • When packing everyone’s suitcase for vacation, remember to pack underwear and socks.
  • When you take the five-hour car trip to your vacation destination, ban all use of iPhones, iPads, Kindles, and other electronic devices so your children can actually spend quality time together bonding, just like you did as a kid.
  • After 30 minutes of said “bonding,” pull the car over and get everyone’s electronic devices from the trunk and beg them to play a game, any game. Take two Extra Strength Excedrin, and remember there was a reason your parents always looked so tired after those “great” car trips of your youth.
  • Each time you want to wish the summer away, remind yourself that it goes by all too fast, and one day you will miss every gray-hair-inducing minute of your kids’ childhood.

 

*This piece was previously published on the Dishwasher, June 29, 2014 under the title, A Mother’s Summer Bucket List. It has been slightly revised.

Comments

  1. Myke Todd says

    I have been cleaning my room since Thursday. I am not yet halfway through. Biggest undertaking ever, other than moving… My efforts, sadly, are not due to something so noble as making a bucket list, but rather, me looking for a single vinyl record. I just know it is here, somewhere…

    Enjoyed your blog, as always. 🙂
    Myke Todd recently posted…PeoniesMy Profile

    • Kathy Radigan says

      Mike I have only cleaned up a room because I am either looking for something or I have to have something done in one of the rooms. Sad, but true! Thanks so much for stopping over and reading me, I really appreciate it! 🙂
      Kathy Radigan recently posted…A Summer Bucket List for MomMy Profile

  3. Janine Huldie says

    Totally couldn’t agree more and honestly just hoping the summer doesn’t go too fast either as I really want to enjoy as much of it as I can!! 😉

    • Kathy Radigan says

      It does go so, so, so fast Janine. The idea that my Tom is going to be a Junior in high school completely freaks me out. He was in 6th grade when I started this blog!!! xox

  6. Bryce Warden says

    Funny stuff. I always create a top 5 list for my kids and I and we usually overlap at least 3 things on our lists for day trips – the zoo, beach and amusement park. I will be working part time this summer so that will condense our time and I am determined to get to the gym 3 days a week….that is my biggest goal this summer. Oh and by week 2 of summer vacation I am really done with the whole 3 meals a day thing so I may need to teach one of the kids to cook….that would be a lot of stars.
    Bryce Warden recently posted…1 out of 37…………..Part 9My Profile

  8. DudeMom says

    I haven’t organized a closet in a good 5 years. I’m certain there are baby clothes still hanging in the one. I do love summer though. Probably because I immensely hate homework and waking up before 7.

  11. Kaly says

    A whole week without I’m bored!!! I would be thrilled with one day. My standards must be waaaay too low.

  14. Nicole Jankowski says

    I just found a whole bag of Christmas presents I forgot to give last year. My hiding places are so good even I don’t know where I hide them. 🙂 You are the cutest, by the way. Love all of this. <3
    Nicole Jankowski recently posted…Come Back, DetroitMy Profile

Trackbacks

Much thanks to Joseph Radigan, who besides being a great husband and father, also uses his talents to gently and ever so tactfully edit my blog. Joe is a business editor at Thomson Reuters in NY.
J9 Designs