The Slow Summer Promise
It started with a conversation I wasn’t totally prepared for.
School let out, the kids were home, and the calendar suddenly looked very different for the kids, except mine and my husband’s was the same. Because mom and dad still have jobs. We still have deadlines, meetings, inboxes, and all the fun that comes with being fully employed adults who also happen to have kids staring at them asking what’s for lunch at 10:45 in the morning.
We’re also on a budget. Groceries are not cheap right now. Gas is not cheap right now. And the pressure to make summer feel magical when you’re watching every dollar is real.
So I made a promise. One fun thing a week. That’s it. That’s the whole deal.
How Promising One Thing a Week Saved My Sanity
I told my kids: we are going to do one fun thing a week this summer. Not a packed schedule of activities that leaves me more exhausted than the school year did, but also not a summer of bedroom boredom. I committed to one thing a week, and it will be something worth looking forward to.
They loved it. There’s something about having something on the horizon that changes the whole energy of the house. The “I’m bored” complaints dropped. Because even on the days where mom is on her laptop and dad is on a call, they know something is coming. It’s enough.
These things don’t have to be big. A walk to the local ice cream shop and a stop at the park counts. A trip to the movies counts. Maybe the beach happens once. Maybe we catch a local festival. The point isn’t the size of the activity, it’s the consistency of the promise.
The money angle: Planning one thing a week actually helps your budget more than you’d think. When you know the fun is coming, you stop the impulse spending on random entertainment to fill the void. Look for free community events, library programs, splash pads, and local parks, Michiana has more than people realize. Check your local Facebook groups, your city’s website, and the library calendar. A lot of it is free or close to it. Of course, there are always entertainment options on My Deals Michiana, where you can get discounts at some very popular venues.
Surviving the In-Between Days
Here’s the thing nobody talks about: kids don’t need your constant attention for entertainment. They have options.
Our yard has become a legitimate summer activity destination. Kiddie pools, sprinklers, a soccer ball and net, a blanket in the shade with a good book, sidewalk chalk, a garden. Truth be told, some of my personal favorite days have become sitting outside with my work computer and watching my kids play while I write some emails.
And here’s my personal contribution to the summer product hall of fame: reusable, refillable water balloons. Did you know these exist? They stick to each other magnetically, you fill them up in a bucket, and you use them again. Game changer.
The money angle: Almost everything I just described can be found at the dollar store. Sidewalk chalk, pool toys, water games, bubbles, jump ropes, fill a basket for under $20 and you’ve bought yourself a solid chunk of summer entertainment. The reusable water balloons are a slightly bigger upfront investment but pay for themselves by the second use.
Feeding the Hungry Ones (Without Losing Your Mind)
Okay, let’s talk about snacks. Because if you have kids at home all summer, you already know: they are always hungry. The kitchen becomes a revolving door from about 9am until they finally go to bed.
I did a big grocery run recently with one specific goal in mind: stock up on things I know my kids will actually eat. No guessing, no optimism about new foods, just the reliable stuff. And I told them: eat whatever you want, pantry is open.
The trick to making that work without your grocery bill going off the rails? Store brand everything. I’m talking cereal, crackers, fruit snacks, cheese sticks, yogurt, frozen waffles. The kid’s don’t even notice the difference half the time, but the store brand version is almost always just as good and significantly cheaper. We’re talking 30-50% savings on some items. It adds up fast.
The other thing I’ve been doing: baking at night. After the kids are winding down, I’ll throw a batch of muffins in the oven. They’re something a little special, and they’re cheaper per serving than almost anything packaged.
Here’s my favorite trick — and I’m telling you this as a mom, not a nutritionist — you can sneak nutrition into baked goods and they will never know. Chocolate muffins made with pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree and Greek yogurt taste completely normal. You’d never guess. The purees add nutrients and vitamins, the Greek yogurt adds protein, and your kid just thinks they got a chocolate muffin for breakfast. Everyone wins.
Slow Down on Purpose
I think what I’ve landed on this summer is this: doing less isn’t failing. The pressure to fill every day with something Pinterest-worthy is real, and it’s exhausting, and it costs money we don’t always have. But a summer of one good thing a week, backyard afternoons, dollar store water toys, chocolate muffins with a secret, and a kid who knows something fun is always coming? That’s a good summer.
That’s what’s good in our ‘hood this summer. The slow stuff. The simple stuff. The stuff that doesn’t cost much but somehow ends up being what they remember anyway.
Have a budget-friendly summer win? A snack hack? A local free thing I missed? Drop it in the comments, I want to hear what’s working in your house.