from our publisher & editor
Welcome, summer!
As I write this letter from the front porch, our oldest son is playing basketball and
our little guy just ran around back to play on the swing set. It’s an early reminder
that summer is my favorite time of year with them.
When I read the article in this issue about Free Range Summers (page 6), I couldn’t
help but think of my own childhood. Riding bikes with my cousins, swimming all
day with my brother, or wading in the creek over the hill from our house… no one
would have called it free range, but in retrospect, it’s just how life was back then.
We had some scheduled activities, but so many of my memories center around
playing outside with my friends, our cats, or contentedly by myself.
Sara Snow brings this point home again (page 18) sharing her toddler daughter’s
ability to play by herself, “To me, there’s such peacefulness that can be found when
you’re just on your own, and nothing is required of you.”
Clearly there are some parts of summer that have to be scheduled or arranged in
advance – vacations, sports, camping trips, or birthday parties. But this year, let’s
try not to lose sight of homemade ice pops, making a clover flower necklace, or
tossing rocks in a puddle to see how big they can splash.
And just in case you need a refresher course in how to play, your kids will be more
than willing to teach you.
Amity
ON THE COVER: Photo by Polina Osherov
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