Summertime

[00:00:00] Speaker A: What does summertime mean to you? [00:00:02] Speaker B: Oh, man. Well, school's out for summer. [00:00:05] Speaker A: Thank you, Alice Cooper. [00:00:08] Speaker B: It just makes me want to sing that song. For me, sometimes it kind of starts with dread, then it kind of shifts into, okay, we're going to create some memories. And looking back, a lot of my favorite memories were definitely during summertime. [00:00:23] Speaker A: For sure. [00:00:24] Speaker B: For sure. [00:00:25] Speaker A: Why don't we go ahead and get into it? [00:00:42] Speaker C: Welcome to modern mixtape navigating parenthood. I'm your host, Jim, along with my wife, Jenny. We're just two parents born in the seventies, raised in the eighties, love music from the nineties, and raising kids in the two thousands, and frankly, just trying to figure it all out. Let's dive into the mixtape of modern parenting. This is modern mixtape. Listen wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on all socials. [00:01:06] Speaker B: So, thinking back, what were some of your favorite summertime memories? [00:01:13] Speaker A: Most of my summers were either I was outside skating, I was at my cousin's house swimming. I was at my house swimming. [00:01:22] Speaker B: You were just out? [00:01:23] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Well, it was eighties. Stay home. If you stayed home, there was nothing to do. You got yelled at. [00:01:30] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:01:31] Speaker A: Got told to go outside. Yeah. I mean, there was never structure. I was never, like, not real structure. I was never sent away anywhere. My mom was a housewife, so she was home all the time. [00:01:42] Speaker B: Okay. [00:01:43] Speaker A: So for her, it just meant this annoying little monster is in my house for most of the day, and then I have to deal with them at night, too. [00:01:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:01:50] Speaker A: So, you know, we had a basketball hoop out back. So I'd go out and play basketball, I'd ride my skateboard. I'd go out and do. I mean, I'd go out and climb trees. I didn't care. I called my buddies, hey, let's go skateboarding. You know, as I got older, skateboarding was a big one for me because I could actually get on my board, leave the house, go to somebody else's house, and then go to a skate spot and not come home till the lights came on. [00:02:13] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:13] Speaker A: So half the time, as my mom would say, I was out running the town. [00:02:17] Speaker B: So, yeah, I guess I look at summer in two ways. Like summer as a kid and then summer once I became a parent. [00:02:25] Speaker A: Yeah, that oh, shit moment. What do you mean, school's over? [00:02:29] Speaker B: When I was a kid, I was always out. Like, I got sent away, and not in a bad way, but my grandparents lived on the east coast, and when I was home, my mom always sent me to camps, and they were like, sleepaway camps. So I went to this camp up off the russian river in northern California, I was the only person and was just like, you're going. [00:02:53] Speaker A: And I was like, you're the only person at camp? [00:02:55] Speaker B: Well, no, I mean, there were other kids, but it's not like I went with a friend I knew. [00:03:00] Speaker A: Oh. [00:03:00] Speaker B: And so it was like, yeah, like. [00:03:03] Speaker A: I think I did overnight camp once. [00:03:05] Speaker B: Through school, and then, like, I went and did these crazy bike trips with my middle school. So there were definitely like, you're getting out of the house, you're learning how to. [00:03:14] Speaker A: Yeah, but you were into that. You liked going on those biking trips. [00:03:18] Speaker B: I did, and it was good. But I think there was also part of it where it was like, now looking back, I mean, the fact that, like, I rode my bike down, like, PCH as a 6th grader from, like, basically aggressive, just down from, from Carmel down to my hometown as a 6th grader, I could not imagine our children, like, doing that. [00:03:46] Speaker A: I couldn't imagine doing it outside of our cul de sac, so. [00:03:51] Speaker B: But it was those types of adventures I think my mom was really big on. Like, you're going to go out and kind of figure out that you can do this stuff and see, like, beyond the world. So that was kind of my childhood. But then there were also the, we're going camping at the beach with other families, and we did that on, like, these annual things. So it was, like, full of adventure and it was amazing. And I'm so thankful for my parents for doing that. And I think that's now why I'm really big on our kids are not going to just. [00:04:20] Speaker A: Right. Okay. So you mentioned camping. [00:04:22] Speaker B: Lay about the house. [00:04:25] Speaker A: Let's dig into that one. So as a child, I never really camped like, not the traditional let's go get tense and do whatever like we've done with our kids. We've traditionally camped with our kids. [00:04:40] Speaker B: So how we camped with our kids was how I camped in the summer, which is why I think I was like, we are going to camp in tents, like with other families by the beach. None of this rv nonsense. Like, we're camping. We're going to have, like, a camp kitchen. This is what we're doing. Everyone's going to be a little bit sandy. There's going to be grit in the food, tough buttercup, you're going to get dirty. We're all going to be dirty. And it's going to be great. These are going to be awesome memories. And guess what? Our kids still talk about it. [00:05:15] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. So for me, we never went camping like that my dad did get. I mentioned this earlier. My dad did get a membership to, like, an rv park or something, and it was like, like great adventures or something. And it was one of those. He paid, like, a membership fee and he could pick a place to go. And I think we went down to San Diego once, and we went somewhere else once. We only did it twice. And then you go and they have an rv set up, and you go and you hang out, but your campsite's not really near anybody else, so you kind of get your own experience. It's the first time I ever learned how to fish. My dad was mad because I caught a bigger catfish than he did, and he was even madder because he had to clean it. And instead of showing me how to clean it and having me go with him, he just sent me back to camp. So I think he was a little disgruntled, but whatever. But, yeah, no, it wasn't until I was in my late teens, I came out to visit Texas and saw my cousin, and we went out to. We went up to Lake Murray in Oklahoma, and we camped for three days, long weekend, whatever it was. And we lived in tents and went out, and we went out on the lake. And, I mean, that was a blast. [00:06:23] Speaker B: Yeah. But I look at, like, some of the experiences I had as a kid. Now that second part of it is summers as a parent. And definitely there are things that I want and have made sure that our kids have done, like, overnight camp. Super valuable experience I got to have as a kid. All of our kids have gone away to overnight camp in some capacity, you know, or camping with those other families as a beach, you know? [00:06:56] Speaker A: Right. I can't. So you told me earlier that you guys would camp on the beach for hours. Well, days. Your parents would go home to work. [00:07:05] Speaker B: Well, so we were lucky because we lived, like, 15 minutes from some of the best beaches on the California central coast, multiple families. And so we'd take a week, and I think sometimes we did do it for two weeks, but I know it was at least a week, and I'm pretty sure parents would just be like, hey, I gotta go run back to town for, like, work. So they would leave us with some of the parents, and it was just like this community parenting thing, and we were just in the water for hours, riding our bikes up and down the bike paths. [00:07:37] Speaker A: I'm convinced you grew up in a hippie commune. [00:07:40] Speaker B: I think if not, it closely resembled it elements. It was definitely. I mean, we've talked about it in previous episodes about, like, the importance of having a village around you, like, with parenting. And my parents were super blessed that they had amazing other families around them to help and support them. And I still know those people to this day, you know, and it's pretty cool. They have met our kids, and I think that's how they got through summers. Looking at summer. Summers are very different now for kids. [00:08:13] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. I mean, your kid could get up at whatever time and get on their computer or get on their iPad, and you could not see them for hours and not know they're even in the house. Not in our house, however. [00:08:24] Speaker B: Well, that's just it. I don't want that for our kids. I don't want them to just be on electronics or inside the summer. [00:08:33] Speaker A: They're not, which they're not, thank goodness. [00:08:35] Speaker B: But I think it's harder as a parent nowadays to make sure that doesn't happen, because it is so easy for them to just turn on the TV or just get on the iPad or the computer or the Xbox or whatever it is, versus when we were kids. [00:08:50] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Way easier. We didn't have Xbox when we were kids. We had Atari. [00:08:55] Speaker B: I didn't even have. [00:08:56] Speaker A: I didn't even have television. [00:08:57] Speaker B: I didn't even have Atari. And we only had one tv growing up. [00:09:02] Speaker A: Same. Exactly. You gotta get up off the couch to change the channel. Yeah, it's annoying. [00:09:08] Speaker B: But that's why I'm saying I think now, summer with kids, you do have to start planning. Like, I start planning summer for our kids with camps in January. So, like, our youngest went to color guard camp this summer, and I had to register her for those camps in January to make sure she got spots. [00:09:29] Speaker A: Right. [00:09:30] Speaker B: Our son is. [00:09:32] Speaker A: He's gone away to a couple of outdoor camps over the years. [00:09:35] Speaker B: Yeah. But, like, this summer, we got him into an internship, and so he's working with his internship in the mornings. [00:09:43] Speaker A: Yep. [00:09:44] Speaker B: And we started planning that in February for him. [00:09:47] Speaker A: Yep, we did. [00:09:48] Speaker B: And I think you talk to most parents and you've got to create something like that, otherwise you slip into that. [00:09:56] Speaker A: Yeah. I've seen some of these high school kids where, I mean, like, I don't know what they do all summer, but. [00:10:02] Speaker B: Then once the band stuff started, they all start up again mid July. [00:10:09] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:10:10] Speaker B: I think it's just figuring out opportunities for them compared to our parents. Our parents didn't have to create opportunities for us. Like, you mentioned it earlier, you just went out. Like, you just picked up your skateboard, went over to your cousin's house, went swimming, went in the pool. [00:10:26] Speaker A: Oh, no. So let me. Let me. Let me be very clear about this. If I had to go to a cousin's house, I was dropped off there and usually left for, like, two or three days. [00:10:36] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:10:37] Speaker A: And it was. And it was. It was a. I'd pitch it about Tuesday or third Tuesday or Wednesday, and it would be like, hey, can I go to so and so's house this weekend? I don't know. Did you call him? No. Why don't you call them? Call their mom, talk to them. Okay. All right. And so I'd have to do all that stuff. And so I learned early to network. You know, we conspire. [00:10:55] Speaker B: Yeah. And I. And I think that, like, you learned to network. We've tried to teach our kids, like, hey, call your friends. Figure this out. Like. Like, your friends don't have, like, frickin ESp. Like, they're not just going to magically show up at the house. [00:11:12] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:12] Speaker B: You have to create your own opportunities, and that doesn't happen. And so I think we've had to kind of create some opportunities for them or help guide them to create those opportunities. Hence color guard camps and things like that to get them going, because sitting around the house is not happening. [00:11:33] Speaker A: No. So totally agree. [00:11:35] Speaker B: Also, for our own sanity. [00:11:37] Speaker A: Yeah, definitely for our sanity. [00:11:40] Speaker B: So all I can say to all the parents, this is kind of a shorter episode, is get the kids out of the house, do some fun things. Summer game nights are another big thing. We do a lot of. We've been playing a lot of jackbox and with Peyton while she's away. Yeah. That has been fun. [00:11:57] Speaker A: So it's very unique. It's an interesting Facetime, but it's really great. If you don't know what Jackbox is, it's a. It's a game through the Internet. We have it on the ps five, and it's like trivia and stuff like that and ridiculous stuff. And we pop her, prop her up in front of the screen so she can read the screen with us. And then, I mean, we spend, like an hour, hour, hour and a half playing games with her. [00:12:19] Speaker B: Yeah. So family game nights, card games are fun. We do those. [00:12:24] Speaker A: Lately, the kids have been playing cards against humanity. [00:12:26] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:27] Speaker A: Which, if you really want to know some things about your kids, play that a couple times. [00:12:31] Speaker B: Take that time with your kids during the summer and create those opportunities. So. [00:12:38] Speaker A: And enjoy some of your old memories, you know, from growing up and, oh, man, we used to do this. That's always fun to look back and go, Mandy, we were crazy we did X, Y and Z. [00:12:48] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:12:48] Speaker A: I like that part of it. [00:12:49] Speaker B: Yeah. So we are embracing the Texas heat here. Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer wherever you are. So yeah. [00:12:58] Speaker A: So if you heard ice jingling, it's because we are drinking lots of water and hydrating like an sob. [00:13:04] Speaker B: But enjoy the summer. We will be taking intermittent breaks from the podcast this summer as we go enjoy some time with the family and our kids this summer. We hope you are doing the same and you will catch us on the next episode of modern mixtape. Modern mixtape is produced and recorded by Jenny and Jim Pruden, edited and mixed by Grey Bear Erikson at the Sanctuary theme song written and performed by Grey Bear Erikson.