Summer is my favorite time of year. My family and I have always enjoyed adventures, laughs, and being with family and friends. In the midst of COVID-19, I’ve had to accept that our typical summer life is going to have to change. We are still trying to figure out how to enjoy summer while social distancing. I’ve come up with a few ways to continue summer fun, but each day I learn something different.
I want to stress that during this time it is important to stay connected to family and friends. I tell my boys to call and text with their friends. It is possible to socialize at a distance.
Every Sunday I Zoom with my sister and her family. We do not live in the same state, and this has given us a wonderful opportunity to see each other, catch up, and laugh. This tradition is something that we will continue to do. It’s seriously one of my favorite moments of the week.
Two very close friends who have children have become our “pods”. In other words, we all know who we are around (which is just us) and where we have been. We have become comfortable with each other and have had some “social distance” get togethers. This has allowed all of us to have human contact and our kids have had a chance to play and be with their friends.
My boys love to swim and unfortunately our neighborhood pool is not open. But, Austin, Texas has many great swimming holes. Some are part of state parks which have a limited capacity and require reservations. Some are just nature’s beauty and not many know they exist, so we have our own private swimming holes. It gets us out of the house and we get to enjoy the beautiful parks and areas around Austin.
Riding bikes has become my boys’ biggest social activity. It’s something they can do with friends, because they are maintaining plenty of distance. They are also getting great exercise. Sometimes we all ride together or they meet their friends at the trails and just have a fun afternoon.
Even though our state is “opening” in different phases, I feel it’s important to maintain social distance to protect not just ourselves, but our community. This is still going to be a great summer, it’s just going to be different. But, like I said, everyday changes and I find a new activity and a new way to connect with family and friends.
Stay safe and healthy and have a great summer!
Kelli’s Top 3 Social Distance Ideas
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Stay connected to friends and family (use zoom) or stay in your pods
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Ride Bikes everywhere for fun and exercise
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Check Out your County and State Parks
