Some posts here on ARoseTintedWorld may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy a product or register, then I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I may also use products from the companies mentioned in these posts. Thank you for supporting my blog!
Well, It is officially the last day of Summer. This year has gone really fast for us. Perhaps, its the good weather we’ve been having, or perhaps it is just the fact that we’ve had all the suspense for Elizabeths tonsillectomy. I was tagged a few weeks ago for by Su at Ethan & Evelyn but only now I’ve really thought about how fast our summers are going. We’ve already had 3 summers with Elizabeth. This post and hashtag is about a wish list you’d like to do with your kids before they fly the nest. You only get 18 summers.
You Only Get 18 Summers 
Life does seem to go by so quickly. It only seems a moment ago that we were heading off for a first summer family holiday when Elizabeth was 6 months old.
In our first summer, we went on holiday in the UK, to Lindisfarne and to Mum’s caravan in Bridlington.
For our second summer, we went away to the Lake District and again to Bridlington. At the end of this summer, Elizabeth broke her leg!
Now we’ve just finished our 3rd Summer together. We went to Anglesey in Wales, and went on lots of train journeys!
Here we go then, this is my #18SummerWishList with my child –
To Enjoy Magic Together
And by Magic I do mean Disney! I have been to both DisneyLand Paris and DisneyWorld Florida several times. I love the films and love the parks, and cannot wait to introduce my little girl to this magic. I’m sure that we will do Paris first whilst she is still young. I’ll dig out my CD of “It’s a Small World” theme and we will learn the words to annoy her Dad! But then it will be even more exciting to visit America and see all the parks there. Florida is just bigger and better. There is so much more to see in the states, with the Universal Parks, and massive rollercoasters (which I also hopes she loves as much as me!)
To Go Travel Together
To Go Travel TogetherAs my OH Andrew is a teacher, we have already decided that when Elizabeth is about 7 or 8 we will go travelling around the world a little. Maybe even spend a year doing so. Big plans, but there is so much that I want to show Elizabeth and visit new places too!
Maybe visit Africa and see big animals in their natural habitat to show her how these creatures need to be saved. To visit other cultures such as India, China and Japan so show her how other people have such different lives, but that we are one planet.
See some Art and History
Both Andrew and myself are really interested in Art and History, so obviously we will be doing a lot of this on our world trip. But there is lots to see here in the UK too. One of our favourite places here in the UK is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. On a summers day it is the perfect place to visit.
Teach her to sew
I really want Elizabeth to share some of my loves whilst finding her own talents. I am going to teach her to sew. If only so she can learn how to create her own clothes. And to realise the value of the materials.
Encourage her to enjoy music
Music has played a huge part in my life. I have sung since being very small and even had a second career doing this. I started playing the recorder when I was 4, and Elizabeth has already been introduced to the recorder too. Her Dad wishes I hadn’t! I do want her to discover her own musical style. And I would love it if she could sing!
Do lots of Activities together
I do want to do lots of craft and cooking activities together as Elizabeth gets older. But she loves swimming, and I look forward to when we can swim properly together. As she gets a bit older I think I will encourage her to do more activities with me such as keeping fit, walking and yoga. When I was younger, we always walked along the coastline from Bridlington to Flamborough every summer, so once she can, I may try and continue this tradition!
Encouraging her to look after the planet
If you have read any of my other posts on Lagom, you will know that I am keen on sustainability, recycling and reusing what is around us, so I will encourage Elizabeth to do the same. Part of our world trip will be to help her see how fragile our planet is, and how we need to be mindful of what we are doing to help each other and this planet on which we all have to live.
As a second to this, I will encourage her to be charitable and kind. Maybe offering her time up to others who need it in our village.
Even though you only get 18 summers before she flies our nest, hopefully she will still want to do things with us. And hopefully some of the magic and traditions that we share with her she will want to carry on into her own adult life and with her own children.
I am tagging the following bloggers to share their You Only Get 18 Summers – #SummerWishList
Rebecca at Becster.com
and
Christy at WelshMum.co.uk
What are your plans if you only get 18 Summers? Do tell me in the comments, or tell me on social media.
This is such a cool idea & post! Love it! Now that my family hit our 18th summer u realize how precious family time is! Cherish it & keep sharing!
Time goes so fast. My niece turned 3 a few days ago. Just crazy how quickly they grow!
I have a love-hate relationship with summers and my children. I love that it opens up extra time to do fun things and explore. But I also have a child with special needs who makes it difficult to do that. Visiting from #TriumphantTales.
Yes, I can see how that can make the long summer tiring for you. I hope that you find a good balance over future summers
I hate this whole 18 summers thing as we get so much more than that, however, it does make you think of what you want to do with the kids and what you want to show them etc. We just booked a trip to Disneyland Paris for next September and I’m literally bursting to tell Ben but I know that will make the next year feel like ten!
Thank you for sharing this with us at #TriumphantTales. I hope to see you back next week!
Thank you!