"Special" days

Oh my goodness... I love to link to other good blog posts here on my blog. The one I am linking to today is one I have wanted to write myself for months but just couldn't put quite into the right words. Kristen over at We Are That Family totally hit it out of the park with this post, "Maybe We Should Stop Entertaining Our Kids So Much". Stop whatever you are doing and go read it now :)

If I could hug a blog post I would be in an all day snuggle fest with this one. As summer is coming closer (and come on, it has only been Spring for a couple of days) I have started seeing all of the links to "101 awesome things to do with your kid this summer" posts and I am groaning inside. Not because I don't love doing fun things in the summer, I do! Bring on the snow cones, days spent at the swimming pool, and mid-week trips to the zoo! But, summer has become a 3 month long party these days. Everyday is supposed to be exciting and fun and "special". And weekends are kind of the same way, every Saturday is something "big"; birthday parties, Science Center, theme parks...

I am just as guilty as anyone. Last year I even caved and made the "summer bucket list" and we checked off fun things throughout the summer. And, this isn't bad in and of itself. But, I am just starting to find that "special" isn't very "special" when it happens all the time. I kind of think the majority of days need to be regular old days in order for the special ones to truly be... special. I am not saying boring or devoid of any joy and fun. But, doing normal things like chores, reading books, building with Legos, running to the grocery store (for food for the family, not a "special treat"), playing in the backyard....

Lately, I find myself often being asked the question by my kids, "what is special about today?" And I get a little frustrated because they are now equating a good day with something "special". So, at least in this house, we are getting back to the basics. Finding joy in the everyday, allowing boredom (because out of it blooms imagination and creativity) and redeeming "special".