The kids have really been feeling the transition from school to home, and not necessarily in a good way. They are beginning to miss being with their friends six hours a day, and while they enjoy the freedom, it's been an adjustment from the structure of public school to the carefree breeziness of a summer at home. We're working on our rhythm here at home, preparing for the days of homeschooling in the fall, but it's still a work in progress. (I think, perhaps, another post is due on that subject.) There have been several meltdowns in less than a week's time, and let's just say that I've had plenty of opportunities to work on my peaceful parenting techniques. Phew!
Luckily, today brought along the opportunity to gather us as a family and enjoy one of our annual traditions, the Rain Romp! There is much talk in homeschooling, and especially Waldorf, circles about the importance of time outdoors in all weather for the children, and this is one of the ways that we enact that around our house. When the summer rains come, we put on our swimsuits and run outside to dance, splash, stomp, and play in the droplets. We don't have a swimming pool at our house, and there isn't a lake or coastline for hours. This is a quick, easy, and very frugal way of getting in a little water play. It is certainly not the same as swimming, but it's extremely FUN! (Oh, and just because we call it an annual tradition does not mean that it happens only once a year.)
When my brother and I were children we lived in a tiny house on a dirt road that was surrounded by deep ditches. To us these ditches were chasms deep enough to swallow us up, magical lakes, or the sea itself. When it would rain enough to fill the ditches our mother would (sometimes) let us swim in them. The water was murky and laden with mud, but we didn't care in the least. It was amazingly magical for us! Oh, um, and we lived right on the shore of Lake Erie! The lake held a magic of its own, but swimming in those ditches was... out of the ordinary I suppose. It was special.
This is the magic that I'm trying to capture for my children with our rain romps. It's not that we can't go to the YMCA and hop in the pool, but dancing in the rain is a little outside of the norm in our culture. When the rain comes, even warm summer downpours, every child in our neighborhood is called indoors. Except mine. I can see their eyes sparkling as they watch the clouds forming, nearly quivering with anticipation. And when I give the go ahead... Oh! They will be out of their clothes and into swimsuits in five minutes or less for certain!
Just a word of caution: lightning is a real concern, especially if you are in a place with trees nearby. Also, sidewalks and grass both become very slippery in the rain, so exercise caution and be sure that your little ones are aware of the dangers!
You can see pictures of last year's rain romp at my old homesteading blog here.
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