Summer Rhythms; Summer Giveaway
Competing parenting & work, successful summer rhythms, the unique possibility of summer Sabbath and a giveaway you book lovers might want to win
We are in the trenches of summer. I love it, and yet it consumes me. I don’t love that part of summer. However, before I share these summer musings many of you will relate to, I wanted tell you about a giveaway you might like.
Summer Book Lovin’ Giveaway
Last year, I was part of hosting a massive giveaway that people loved. I joined up with some of my author friends (this time faith-based) to host the SUMMER BOOK LOVIN' GIVEAWAY! ♡
If you like reading, whether on the Kindle or with your own stack of books, this is for you.
This fun group of authors wants to help you have a joyful and refreshing summer by giving away THREE REALLY GOOD PRIZES to THREE WINNERS! Enter your email for a chance to win and call it good!
** ENTERING THE GIVEAWAY IS SIMPLE - Sign up with your email for a chance to win one of THREE fantastic prizes:
Prize #1: $500 Amazon Gift Card (I guess you don’t have to love books to like this one!)
Prize #2: Summer Book Bundle including over 20 fiction and nonfiction books for hours of summer reading and recharging! (worth $300+)
Prize #3: Book Lovin' Accessory Bundle including shirts, beach bag, pens, cute tumbler, umbrella, beach towel, bookmarks, earrings, artwork, mini fan, necklace, journal, and more! (worth $165+)
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE: https://kingsumo.com/g/d6jvyc/summer-book-lovin-giveaway/
** Want to increase your chances of winning?? ** Come back daily for more entries and MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW, LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE PARTICIPATING AUTHORS FOR ADDITIONAL ENTRIES. The more you do, the more your chances go up. And please share with your book-loving friends!
Here's to Summer goodness and hours of reading in the sun...
IMPORTANT RULES: The Summer Book Lovin' Giveaway runs 7/17-7/23. Random winners will be selected via KingSumo on 7/24 and notified within 48 hours. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by anyone but the bunch of us. By entering the giveaway you agree to receive emails from the contributing authors as part of their email list, but feel free to unsubscribe at any time. All winners must confirm their emails via KingSumo's confirmation email. We reserve the right to make sure each winner's email address is valid. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. US Residents only. Must be 21+ years of age to participate. Thank you for entering!
Summer tension
Beautiful mountains, right? I went there a few weeks ago. But it is just a nice image to go with the words for this post.
In summertime, having four kids around and staying sane keeps me offline, like all the time. Despite the many ideas in my head, and content plans sketched on paper, it just isn't going to happen.
I'm used to it. For me, it defines summer. It is a never ending tension of the two things I want to be doing, being present for my family. And being present for my online community. Anyone else out there ponder this frequently, observing this shift in responsibilities?
But summer is different for many other people. Sometimes summer is defined only by air conditioning freezing them out in the office.
Competing jobs: parenting and work
But for those of us who are not the primary breadwinner and have a slew of kiddos, we might find ourselves in a different situation entirely.
Side #1: Four kids (and sometimes their friends) who really need parenting and a household that needs more care, as the kids are always there in the summer. I love and cherish them. I enjoy being with them. I’ve gone through many years defined only as a homemaker, or homeschooling mama. I am about sixteen years familiar with this.
But then there is the other side, a drive always near the surface, always bubbling up. It used to confuse me, as I grew up thinking being a mama would fulfill me. That is a whole different story, mixed with my beliefs about Biblical womanhood that we will save for later. For now, let’s just say it took me nearly a decade to accept that I would usually also work outside the home, despite my original traditional beliefs. I love my job; it is work I am compelled to do.
Side #2: Writer, coach, speaker, content creator. On Average Advocate, I’m present to guide my people to change the world sustainably, wisely, and to do good better. In my other space, this one at Authentically Elisa, I just share honest self-reflections like these, examining experiences and beliefs through the lens of paradigms and cultures.
So, here’s an honest reflection for you: Sometimes I can’t deal with the tension. There is no way I can actually manage two beyond full-time jobs at once. I know that. I adjust things and let things go during the summer. But it is really hard to know which things to let go of realistically. Each year I get a little better at it, but I have the feeling that it will always be a struggle.
This always requires a renegotiation mid-summer, realizing what I actually still need to give up. My online connections and job is important to me. My family is even more important. And so I sit with this tension, choosing how to be present day-by-day. This is just what summer is.
Is summer rest a myth?
People say summer is for vacations, refill, rest and all that. But summer does't actually mean rest.
For many of us mamas or parents always at home, resting is exceptionally difficult (if not a myth) over the summer. There are too many people around and extra things happening to let us refill in the change of pace.
For example, that lovely sunset? These beautiful mountains? Lovely. I was able to enjoy them and make great memories here.
But the cost was high. While I was there, I was feeling unwell and wasn't sleeping. I was busy following a baby who had a death wish. I was the undesirable playmate for a neurodivergent child. I was counseling one teen on their first romantic relationship (eeek!). I was trying to not lose my temper with the other, who is convinced it is their right to do nothing but play video games all summer. The management of all the kids' feelings and the insane job of parenting through different situations out of the routine is exhausting. Oh, and it took tons of work to get there and tons of work to clean up after.
The point is, the summer work is different, but it is still work. It requires new rhythms and more help to foster rest.
Successful summer rhythms
Two summer rhythms I am trying to practice are getting help and teaching my kids how to schedule their time with more balance.
I am forever not great at asking for help—I feel like I talk about this all the time. But I am learning! For example, this summer, a friend taking my baby weekly during the day just to give me time to think and write. Another good friend is also taking him sometimes just so I can rest. I even am trying to be intentional scheduling time where I am not the primary parent with my husband.
Summer is also the primary season in life I have to teach my kids how to use their time well when managing their own schedules. I know they model me, so explaining why I need their help so I can get away to rest even fifteen minutes in the afternoon is vital.
We also create schedules at the beginning of the summer to help the kids foster balance in their lives. These always include a checklist of areas they need to spend their time in before they get on more screens:
Day preparation/hygiene
Body movement
Creative time
Outdoor time
God time
Reading time
Summer goal (they always choose at the beginning of summer things they want to learn or practice, unless I choose for them—like drivers Ed or typing practice!)
Household work/summer jobs
Now that they are older, my big kids get to design their schedules, implementing the above elements how they like. However, with so many external activities and trips, it is easy to forget about these schedules, and I find myself fighting once again to get everyone off screens and back on track. I am always surprised at how it isn’t natural yet for them to follow these, even after at least eight years of practicing this! So I breathe deep and say a prayer. Trying not to get discouraged, we have a “family meeting” or a one-on-one, and come up with shared solutions.
The Sabbath of undone
Maybe I should view summer as a Sabbath.
The practice of Sabbathing can be rest, but much more intentional. It is resting from work to spiritually rejuvenate from the inside out, honoring our Source of Life and connecting with him. Notably, one of the major factors in practicing Sabbath is choosing to leave things undone, accepting that it will be okay.
In ancient times, after the Sabbath became part of Moses’ covenantal law, the people of Israel (and their animals) didn’t work on the Sabbath—including housework. They had to fully depend on God to provide for their sustenance. It was a test to rest, depending on provision from God to be their Enough.
Maybe this should be my practice too—summer can be Sabbath because I learn to internally rest despite what is externally left undone. I might not be able to really “rest” like I wish, without doing extensive physical and mental work to care for my family, plan trips, manage schedules, while on the move with summer activities. However, even if my mind and body might not be resting much, my spirit and soul can surrender to the rest of Sabbath. What I leave undone will be a sacrifice to God, my responsibilities and desires entrusted into his care.
What does summer look like to you? What are major defining parts of it?
Follow me on Instagram @AuthenticallyElisa