The summer holidays present a wonderful opportunity to explore the outdoors, to get fresh air, to climb and run and feel free. To get wet and not worry about catching a cold, to play in the sand and collect shells. The list goes on and everyone has their own special memories and favourite places. There’s no doubt about it, some of the best childhood memories are created during the summer holidays. It is also when some of the best learning and growing takes place, with more openness, willingness and excitement.
When my children were younger we took a cottage in the countryside each summer and spent some time together as a family with no other distractions. It is a huge amount of work, needs careful planning and preparation and admittedly, does not make for a relaxing ‘holiday’ for parents. But it is invigorating and creates unity for a family and I would not exchange those times for anything else.
It is also a time to learn in a natural, spontaneous setting, in a real tangible way from a beautiful fresh world.
One example comes to mind. We were in Norfolk, North England, in a small cottage that backed on to a field belonging to the owners who lived next door. Our washing line was in that field amidst the fruit trees and the chicken pens. The chicken pens that were empty because the chickens refused to be cooped up inside and had created all sorts of escape routes. The farmer was exasperated from them, but my kids were thrilled and they devised all sorts of games running around with hands full of cornflakes and dropping them in a trail so that the chickens ran along behind them. The adults got tired just watching, and laughing.
One fine evening I was out hanging laundry. As the bottom of the basket came into view I reminded the children that bed time was approaching. They resisted bed time with as many escape routes as the chickens had, it was quite a task to get them in and settle them down. I just could not seem to impress upon them that sleep was a necessity, the only way we would renew our energy for tomorrow. So there I stood with my empty basket, not sure whether to threaten, bribe or just give up.
Then, all of a sudden out came Mama chicken, fluttered her wings, gave a loud ‘cluck, cluck’ and, lo and behold, along came 7 fluffy chicks in a line
and waddled along quietly, silently, behind their mother to the old wooden gate where they had set up home. My children watched in amazement, they could not believe these were the same cheeky chicks that had been dashing about a few moments before. I didn’t say another word, that’s the beauty of it, I didn’t need to. For a long time after that my children reminded me of those mischievous little chicks that got up to all sorts of tricks…till mother called!
I am grateful to the chickens and to the many wonderful experiences we have had interacting with a world full of interest and excitement. Roll along summer holidays…