As I am writing, it is the last day of school for my littles (1st and 3rd grade). My 13-year-old is homeschooled, and we finished up her year in mid-May – although we still have math to do…the familiar refrain of EVERY homeschooler.

I say this nearly every summer – and never meet my goal of doing regular math work over the summer months.

Why do I find it nearly impossible to rally myself or my kids to do math? Because it’s summer and summer means LEISURE!! I, and my kids, have worked HARD over the school year, and I so look forward to the slower pace of summer. There is still work to be done, but it is an entirely different feel. It’s leisurely.

What is leisure – really? Is it just sitting around loafing? Working on some long put off project? Days at the pool with a book in hand? Running kids to camp so I can meet a friend for coffee? Running kids to camp so I can get some work done?

The word leisure comes to us from the Latin word licere, meaning "to be permitted" or "to be free”. And amazingly – the same word in ancient Greek is scola – where we get our word SCHOOL! But not school like we think of it. School and education were for the Free Man in ancient Greece – the slave didn’t have that privilege or freedom. That’s an eye-opening thought, isn’t it?

Of course, it’s meaning has taken on other connotations – of being free from work, being permitted rest.

We all have different schedules in summer. Some of us work and our day-to-day doesn’t change. Some of us are home and we are confronted with the long summer to fill with “fulfilling” activities for our kids. Some of us are somewhere in between (*ME!*) But regardless, I hope that we can each find some time this summer to LEARN to carve out time for true leisure – enjoying a moment of activity or relaxation that is only done for pleasure!

I’m reading a great book right now that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to consider HOW to nurture a culture of leisure in yourself or your family (and managing the time you actually have): 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (Burkeman). It’s a breath of fresh air!

There are only 12 weeks in most summer breaks – how will you be using yours?

And now I’m off to meet my kids at the bus and welcome them to summer with a good-old fashioned WATER GUN FIGHT! The best thing about fostering leisure…it’s the stuff of the BEST MEMORIES!