Angela's Journal

July 6, 2006

Hot Fun in the Summer time

As a summer baby born during the month of July, I wholeheartedly embrace the sizzling summer in all its glory. And, sometimes that glory can be a little too glorious as was the case on my recent trip to Tempe, Arizona. The last time I touched the desert soil was the winter of 1984 when my high school marching band qualified to march in the Fiesta Bowl parade. That trip was a 26-hour bus ride full of typical high school antics, drama and overall good times. The getaway went from a chilling and snowy 30-something degree Grand Canyon field trip to bunking with a clan of giggling girls trying to jumpstart their womanhood by sneaking out past curfew to a fiery nighttime barbecue on a dude ranch! What a milestone adventure for a teenage city girl from Cali. On this trip, I went posh and stayed at The Butte, a Marriott resort. It was an incredible getaway sans the kids and tween turmoils. I hung out with my friend, youngest brother and his clique of buddies. We shared plenty of laughs despite the 112-plus degrees we endured during the daylight hours. As a writer who now travels often, this trip offered a much-needed respite away from the life of single parenthood. It was indeed a time to regroup and bask in the blessings that God has showered over the past few years. Did I think about my kids during this peaceful vacation? Of course, especially since my room was adjacent to the pool that doubled as a water slide and swim-up bar for the grown folks. And while I was living guilt-free on this trip, I was also reminded of the importance in creating a kid-friendly lifestyle for our kids. Many times, our little ones become absorbed in our day-to-day grind and are forced to make adult decisions. While it doesn¹t necessarily happen in my home, I often see it in the homes of friends and relatives. At the end of the day, we have a bunch of little ones stressing out over who likes whom, who looks good in yellow and who thinks that Chris Brown is way cuter than Omarion. As this season continues to heat up, so does my passion for letting my kids bask in every moment of free time away from school: smell the flowers, count the butterflies, swim until your heart is content. And most of all ­ let your kid be a kid all the time ­ not just summertime.

Angela
shaniadura@netzero.net