With this heat wave, we’ve had to find ways to enjoy our summer, but stay cool at the same time. While my kids, now 16, 12, 12, and 10, would be content lying around the house in their pajamas, I just want them to do … something else. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to play video games as well (my current favorite is My Time at Sandrock), but that can’t be all that they do. This city is too vibrant and their brains are too bright to be only used for video games.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
If you haven’t been to the Brooks Museum’s latest exhibit, “People are People” by Christian Siriano, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. This exhibit displays some of Siriano’s contributions to fashion. My daughter’s mouth dropped in awe. (Best mom-feeling ever!) She guided us around the exhibit, reading the captions while exclaiming her opinion of each dress. We saw dresses worn by Michelle Obama, Ashley Graham, and Ariana Grande. The gowns are exquisite and absolutely amazing. My daughter gained a lot of inspiration and drive from this exhibit. She talked endlessly about the alterations she was going to make to some of her clothes and how she finally knows how she is going to finish the shirt she’s been sewing. But the best part was when my boys got excited. The Brooks Museum had a runway set up with clothes on a rack that they could piece together to make a fashion statement. Were they excited to play dress-up? No. But were they excited to play dress-up with their little sister? Yes! We all ran to the rack, donned the coolest attire, and walked the runway. We had the best time! Next, my hubby and daughter used fabric to dress a mannequin while the boys sketched clothes.
The Brooks Museum is free Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. “People are People” by Christian Siriano will be around until August 4th.
Kroc Center
We have been members of the Kroc Center for a few years now, and the Kroc has this long hallway that displays the artwork of local artists. As we walked by, the eldest twin slowed his pace. He looked at the artwork, nodded, then moved along. He called our attention to several different pieces, noting content and technique. And then his world changed. Written in the bottom right-hand corner, on a small rectangular piece of paper, was the price the artwork was selling for. It then seemed like several dots connected together in his brain. “This piece sells for $65! That’s more than my allowance!” I just smiled and said, “Yes, it is.” My husband and I have always told him that he could sell his artwork to earn money. Ever since he was 5 and he stated that he wanted to be a “starving artist” when he grew up, we explained to him that he could be an artist without the starving part. But sometimes a parent’s words don’t resonate with their kids until an appropriate moment. Seeing artwork comparable to his own ability for sale ignited something in him. (Insert proud mommy moment.)
My kids also love to swim at the Kroc. They have a wonderful lazy river. (Yep, you read that right!) My kids are perfectly content going around and around and around, relaxing with each churn of the artificial currents.
Summer Curriculum Update
Here’s a brief update on how the summer curriculum is going. The MATA bus ride is scheduled for July. As you’ve probably guessed, they aren’t excited. While they have mastered how to operate Google Calendar and have put several things on the family calendar, they have failed to learn the lyrics to any Aretha Franklin song or “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas with accuracy. I honestly didn’t think it would be hard, but they are seriously struggling.
The grocery shopping and meal prep had an unexpected outcome. Yes, the kids created grocery lists and cooked meals. But we’ve also had to put a cap on “when” meals could be made. The kids were cooking the typical breakfast, lunches, and dinners, but also added “pre-lunch” and a “post-dinner” meals. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t “post-dinner” just dessert? No, not for them, “post-dinner” is the meal you eat after dessert. Usually served after you have stayed up too late and gotten hungry again. Therefore, the kitchen now closes at 10 p.m. (Those P-EBT cards need to hurry up and arrive!)
They’re finishing up their autobiography/biography and school-assigned summer reading books, too. As you probably guessed, they decided to pace their time with books by only reading a chapter a day. I had to gently remind them that at this pace, they wouldn’t finish their books in time for school. And as you know, the summer reading books include a mini-project.
So far they’ve created and gained inspiration, added movement, and nurtured their brains. I think this deserves a video game binge day, but no “post-dinners.”
Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s a school librarian and writer, but by night … she’s asleep. @realworkwife @memphisismyboyfriend
