SUMMER WORDS

August sunset on a farm in Northwest Iowa

Tuesday was my kids' last day of school and now I anticipate all of those words and phrases they will inevitably utter over this summer.

The big one will be Can I? Can I go swimming, go to my friend's house, drink this soda, go to the movies, go miniature golfing, go ice skating, go here or go there. And then the phrase that will follow will be Can you drive me there? And we can't forget Can I have money to pay for it? Because I work at home, I have to be disciplined. I like them to get out and do things and I enjoy an occasional swim or movie myself; however, if I'm not careful, I'll end up spending the summer driving all over town instead of getting my work done.

Of course, the Can I is usually preceded at some point by an I'm bored. My son tried unsuccessfully to get me to let him skip the last day of school because they wouldn't be doing anything, anyway. I refused. My reasoning? If I agreed, the I'm bored would hit much quicker. My suggestions in response to this phrase are always Clean your room or Read a book. Not appetizing to them.

Another classic summer phrase, I'm hot. Can't we turn on the air conditioner? I'm not going to be uncomfortable in my house either, but they usually start asking for the AC when the thermometer outside climbs to just 75°F. I generally need it to be at least the upper 70s in the house before I'll turn it on.

Ah, yes, summer, a time for words you almost exclusively hear in June, July, and August. What are some classic things your kids say over summer break? Share them in the comments section below.

Happy Summer Vacation!
-The Wordsy Woman