Summer Lovin' Activities

This has been one of the busiest summers I can remember.  As my kid gets older, there are more parties, interests, and activities he's delving into which means more drive time, which I'm happy to do.  I know my ever-changing Manual for Motherhood is filling up, as I grow as a mom with my child's different stages. Every phase, I marvel at how blessed I am to be my kid's mom.

This summer, we decided to try something different. Lil' T is at the age, where church intramural teams have aged out, and team sports for school don't start till next year. So he's been in limbo, without something motivating him to stay active.  I didn't want him sitting inside all summer, on his computer playing Minecraft.

As we were researching our options, a friend recommended kayaking. Oklahoma City has a training site for top rowing athletes, in which they train Olympic athletes.  Our friend told us about their program for kids, which seemed like a good introduction to kayaking for T and some of his friends.

Yesterday, instead of kayaking - they tried paddle boarding, which I thought might be a challenge. Nope ...  they all hopped on and started paddling downriver immediately.  My kid's balance and control amazed me.  The only time he fell off, was when he did a 'fake' fall - because he wanted to see how the water felt.

Below, is shows him in total solitude enjoying the water around him.  I had to snap a quick shot with my iPhone, to capture the moment, as it reminded me of something straight out of Huckleberry Fin.

This summer - be sure to try something new with your kids.  It has been a game-changer for us, as it's opened T's eyes to just how many neat activities are out there for kids, which don't include a ball.  Not that baseball, football, or soccer aren't cool ... it's just been exciting to try something unique, like paddleboarding.  My kid has conquered a challenge, which has helped him spread his wings and allowed him to do something totally on his own.  And that's all good ...