Being a mom who works outside the home, summer with a young child can feel like a puzzle with pieces that don’t quite fit. I’ve never loved the idea of sending my kids to a full-day camp all summer. The easy route, maybe, but I like the season to feel different—a little slower, a little freer, with just enough change to feel refreshing.
This year, things came together better than I expected. We had a fantastic babysitter who took Zuzu to theater camp, volleyball camp, swim lessons, and other activities, and also hung out with her during down-time. At the start, I felt stressed trying to coordinate it all and communicate dates, addresses, times, and…budgets [choke!!]. I ended up creating a shared spreadsheet, and she was wonderful about checking it and staying on top of everything. Plus, we texted as things came up and generally kept in good contact through it all.
On Wednesdays and Fridays, when I worked from home, Zuzu played around the house or in the neighborhood or watched too much TV. Those days also meant I could take her to swim lessons myself. Sitting there on the side of the pool, watching her in the water, I had a wave of gratitude. 20+ years ago, when Taylor was little and money was much more tight, I used to wonder how other mothers made this possible. Back then, it would have been out of reach to take my child to a mid-morning swim lesson in the middle of the work-week. Now, here I was, watching Zuzu glide across the pool. It felt like a dream realized—one of those small, simple gifts that lodges itself in memory.
Zuzu learned and grew in so many ways this summer. Swim stroke camp was something she didn’t want to do at all at first—but by the end, she discovered she’s actually a fairly strong swimmer. That experience gave her a new confidence in the pool that lasted all season. Performing on stage for Elf Jr. and Wicked were also highlights. She really goes for it—fearless, expressive, completely herself in front of an audience. She made friends who matched her silliness, and she seemed so comfortable and at ease in her own skin.
She also kept up her tradition of working toward the summer reading challenge at our local library. Reading isn’t always the easiest sell for her, but she found joy in curling up in bed next to me with her new book light, reading into the late hours. Like me, she loves the way it makes her feel sleepy and relaxed. It’s helped her ease into bedtime with less of the nighttime anxiety she sometimes feels. I hope she finishes the challenge—but even if she doesn’t, I’ll remember those quiet, dim moments as much as anything else.
By the end of the season, her days had been filled with a mix of busy and calm:
- 1 week (2 hrs/day) acting workshop camp
- 2 weeks (3 hrs/day) Elf Jr. Theater Camp
- 4 weeks (1 hr/day) sports camp
- 1 week (4 hrs/day) Wicked Theater Camp
- 2 weeks (40 min/day) swim stroke camp
Maybe it was too much. Maybe it was just right. What I know is that it felt like the right mix for us. As the summer is wrapping up now, I can say that I’m feeling pretty good about the experiences she had. There was the chaos of planning, yes, but also the joy of watching her grow—on the stage, in the pool, and in the quiet space of her own mind.