My college roommate, Lizzie, would interrupt days of studying monotony with, “OK — what are you looking forward to, short term and long term?”

Lizzie was right when papers and finals hung over our heads, and she’s still right today: we all need things to look forward to.

In quarantine land, it’s the monotony that’s our undoing, the ongoing, relentless rinse and repeat of life at home, without things we’re excited about on the horizon. At this point, I’m done with making up short-term things to propel myself through these days. And so the summer beckons as the only hope on my horizon, my long-term thing, if Lizzie asks. It’s as if I am back at school again, counting the days until the the last exam is over.

For young families, I feel fairly certain that summer can’t come soon enough. They can’t wait to put school books firmly away, get far from Zoom lessons, and celebrate. It’s been more than a grind, it’s been a huge responsibility amidst all the rest of this chaos. Parents I’ve spoken with have either punted a little or a lot of late, and they feel a mixture of guilt and relief. It’s been too much.

We have to admit that the collective bail is warranted. There has been an all-over pressure to be both teacher and parent, and then, an underlying and essential burden of trying to keep things positive, to keep the learning and living on course. That meant mums and dads making up things for kids to look forward to, lifting up little ones by planning for hopeful moments in an uncertain future. And that wishful planning had to come from adults who were surely struggling themselves, having trouble mustering up their own things to look forward to.

So while summer beckons for all of us, it’s surely longed for by parents and young kids this year. They need lazy days and barbecues, sun tan lotion and popsicles. Can this summer, mask-clad and at a social distance, ever live up to their hopes for it, especially when it has to include the steady drumbeat of learning — to make sure the “summer slide” doesn’t become a Covid-cliff?

It can if schools and educators think about the importance of this summer break to families everywhere. Sending home long lists of supplementary resources or thick packets of remedial worksheets to complete is not going to fly. The “teaching” this summer has to happen while pouring cereal, walking to the park, or sitting on a porch. Whatever direction or materials come from schools have to have the feel of summertime to everyone. Because the one thing that is keeping families going, the long-looked-forward-to summer of carefree days, has to live up to expectations — at least sort of.

Joan Kelley

Founder & CEO

Abound Parenting