✨Before your scroll-remember to download your free Very 90’s Summer Checklist with: Nostalgic books, shows, games and more to make summer easy at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
I caught myself recently — racing to the computer to register the kids for summer camps and it hit me: How did summer become so scripted and so money based?
The best summers of my life weren’t curated. They were spontaneous, simple, and free. A $10 plastic pool from the grocery store and riding bikes to my best friend’s house to play with a giant cardboard box from her parents’ new fridge. There was a road trip to see our grandparents. I don’t even recall eating out at a restaurant really. I LOVED summers.
Lately, I’ve been focusing on the intention of a summer of BEING not DOING. A summer that aligns with my energy and my values: underscheduling, underspending on the dailies to splurge sometimes and make it memorable.
This isn’t a list of things to buy. It’s a gentle reset. A return to what made summer feel wide open, fun, and full of connection — for both you and your kids. Finding a rhythm that aligns with what feels good to you, not the “good mom” social pressures you feel.
That’s my 90’s summer and I want to bring some of that to our kids’ childhood. It’s about tapping into your intuition. I’m an ambitious mom but that also means going for what works for me even if that means slowing down.
We want children who can think themselves out of boredom because they have a toolkit of self sufficient things we’ve introduced them to. They need space and time to make something from nothing. I want them to be excited by the “treats” (gifts, $$ activities) in life and that’s only possible if they’re not getting the treats every day.
Keys to your 90s summer
little to no plans
spending little $$
not screen time based
swimming
walks
reading 30 minutes a day
Mom and Dad read to kids-Our kids remember “the book” we read every summer together.
kids checklists-chores and challenges they make up for themselves
crafts on their own
handful of playdates/birthday parties
Parents rest and play too-no over scheduling. take turns sleeping in.
“Self Sufficiency School-” Learn how to cook/meal prep for themselves, hygiene, cleaning, decluttering, how to sell something, home repairs (sewing, tools).
Trip to see family.
Possible vacation.
The 90s Summer Reimagined:
Think about anything you want to do and then find a way to do it for pennies and use what you have. Hear my voice, “The kids are going to love this.”
The fun factor will be nearly the same if not equal to if you spend $$$ and energy doing something big.
Waterpark?
-Get the hose/sprinkler out
Crumbl Cookies?
-make boxed brownies & teach kids how to use a toothpick to see if they are done
Drive through?
-grill Costco burgers and serve in paper wraps. If you like In ‘N Out like us, make the special sauce (mayo, ketchup and sweet relish).
Bored?
-card games: speed, gin rummy
-madlibs, seek and find activity books
-movies: Karate Kid, Back to the Future, Ann of Green Gables, Gilligan’s Island.
-read: Indian in the cupboard, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
With so many days in summer and all of us wanting every day to be a celebration, it can feel overwhelming in effort and $$. Use these tricks for 80% of your summer to save your sanity and wallet. THAT my friend, is abundance.
Follow along on Instagram to see what we are up to this summer @christinajwarren.
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