Why Can't We Just Play?

What I Did When I Realized My Kids Were Way Too Busy

By: Pam Lobley

Narrated by: AJ Ferraro

Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Facing summer with her two boys, ages 10 and seven, Pam Lobley was sifting through signups for swim team, rec camp, night camp, scout camp, and enrichment classes. Overwhelmed at the choices, she asked her sons what they wanted to do during summer: "Soccer? Zoo School? Little Prodigy's Art Club?"

"Why can't we just play?" they asked.

A summer with no scheduled activities at all. The thought was tempting, but was it possible? It would be like something out of the 1950s. Could they really have a summer like that?

Juggling the expectations of her husband ("Are you going to wear garters?"), her son Sam ("I'm bored!"), and her other son, Jack ("Can I just stay in my pajamas?"), Pam sets out to give her kids an old-fashioned summer. During the shapeless days, she studies up on the myths and realities of the 1950s. With her trademark wit and candor, she reveals what we can learn from those long-ago families, why raising kids has changed so drastically, and most importantly, how to stop time once in a while and just play.

©2016 Pam Lobley (P)2016 Pam Lobley

Great listen!

This was a really easy read to have on during cooking or cleaning. Great perspective

Summer is for relaxing

This book serves as a reminder that childhood is fleeting and that it's okay to just let your kids have a relaxed, old-fashioned summer. The 1950s nostalgia tie-in was charming. When the author realized the reality of a midcentury summer with 21st century kids wasn't nearly as ideal as she imagined, I could relate!

However, as I listened, there was something about the book that ironically felt slightly dated. Then it hit me: our kids were already home with unstructured time during remote or hybrid "learning", with no scheduled activities, for two years. We'd already been through that together, and then some.

That said, the core message of the book still resonated with me, although it did get kind of sluggish and repetitive at times... much like an unstructured summer, I guess.

Relatable

This book felt very relatable. I loved her experiment going back to the 1950’s lifestyle and the lessons she learned along the way. I definitely feel grateful that we chose to slow down and homeschool once the pandemic hit, but this book is relatable also to those who don’t (as the author did not). I think there is definitely a balance to be had between the rat race of today and the 50s for today’s modern family - and that’s what I personally strive for. Some activities, yes. But also, not cramming it all in and taking things slow and just letting the kids play and be creative without having to be constantly involved can go a long way. Loved the narrator and the storytelling was funny and relatable.

Great food for thought on how to simplify life and enjoy your kids more.

This story really resonated with me as I am currently choosing a simplified life for my son - building in stretches of open time for boredom and free play.

Thought Provoking

Although a lot of what the author writes about regarding slowing down and allowing our children to have a more relaxed and joyful childhood is not new to me, the way she shares her experience and a lot of her realizations have cemented my belief that it is ok to allow our children to enjoy a relaxed childhood without the rigor. We homeschool for the flexibility to meet our children where they are at as well as schedule our days the way we want. The narrator is excellent and this was an easy listen. Definitely recommend the book to today’s parents. She did not homeschool her kids and therefore this book is helpful for those who do not homeschool as well.

A bit lengthy and repetitive message

Long opinion made short… this should have been a blog post. It feels more like a memoir than anything. After the first couple chapters it became incredibly hard to listen to. I enjoyed the concept though.

Love the concept

My children have also complained that they "never have time to play!" so I was intrigued by the title. I found the story humorous and relatable. There were a few times I wanted to encourage her to be "the parent" and say no more often to screen time, or make them read more books. But we as moms do the best we can, and in the end, she had precious memories to savor. Fun read, with helpful insights and tips.