Growing up....total sad face emoji. It's not exactly super fun being an adult (most of the time). Summer especially is the season that makes me miss being a kid the most. I just don't get that same childish giddiness I used to get while thinking about summer. Being out of school, running through the sprinklers, selling lemonade on the street corner; all of that fun stuff. It used to be the things that made summer so much fun as a kid. But, I still believe carrying some of these traditions into adulthood are super important. Because adults can have fun too, duh! So these are 5 things from our childhood summers that we should still carry with us.
1. Water parks
This is one thing I will never ever outgrow. I am a child at heart, but you can never tell me that waterparks don't excite even the most "adult" adult. Like, who doesn't want to go down slides in a tube all day?! Ok exactly. It's amazing. Water parks are a day to forget about my adult life and be a kid for a little bit. In fact, me and my best friend are going to one next week. 21 years old and still packing up the car with our floaties for the day? I think yes.
2. Playing in the waves
Want to know what makes me #sad? The fact that more than half of my friends won't even play in the waves with me at the beach. "I don't want to get my hair wet", or "I don't like the saltwater", and then I'm over here looking like a 12 year old boy body surfing the tides. Like, playing in the waves is so important!!! Are you even at the beach if you don't still jump around and tackle each other into the water?! No, you're not. Okay so maybe it's also because i have a younger brother that still does this with me and brings out the child in me, but regardless i'd do it anyway. I will never let the strings of adulthood tie me down!!! Catch me in the ocean for 5 hours boogie boarding. That's all.
3. Chasing the ice cream truck
See here's the thing, there is no excuse not to do this one. I don't care how old you are, everyone loves ice cream. Because now that we're older, we have better ways to actually catch the ice cream truck. We're more innovative. It's called....a car (11 year-old-barefoot-me running through the streets chasing down the ice cream man on foot is quaking right now). I'm not kidding when I say I was studying on my porch when I heard that familiar jingle and within 10 seconds I was in my Hyundai ready to roll out. Ice cream is no joke, ya'll. Especially when it comes from a truck.
4. Slip n' slides
Oh my gosh the hallmark of my childhood summers. Slip n' slides. These will literally never be forgotten. Even though I’m older now, I still adore a good slip n' slide. Now, my body isnt as slip n' slide friendly as it was all those years ago (lord have mercy), but you best believe imma do it anyway. This takes me back to the the time when I was 10 and my mom literally came home from Walmart with a giant blue tarp, some dish soap, and let us go at it down our backyard hill for hours. Gotta love it.
5. Water balloon fights
Ok this one can vary a little. Mainly because the older we've gotten the more competitive my friends tend to be, and sometimes these fun "water-balloon fights" can turn into a full-out war. Not exactly the greatest time when you catch a 15 mph water-balloon to the face. But if your friends aren't as competitive as mine, it can still be super fun. Try to avoid any black eyes though. Invite some friendly neighbors over and make it a tournament! You could even throw in some adult drinks (21+ of course) to liven things up a bit. Talk about a good time, am I right? Your adulthood can still be fun like childhood, but it's all about how you make it!
