Why are Summers Wasted on the Young? | Fort Bend Focus Magazine

By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher

The antidote to the scorching summer: Bubbles, lots and lots of bubbles.

At any given moment, I feel certain I am going to self-combust into a ball of flames. This August-like heat at the end of June is just about to do me in. And it’s not just me. Virtually everyone I talk to is experiencing the same misery – every adult that is.

This eternal inferno has got me to thinking, which is typically unnerving according to Mr. Kaminski. Why are summers wasted on the young?

As a child, I do not recall blazing summer temperatures slowing me down one bit. We would beg to go to Astroworld, the zoo, Sea Arama Marineworld, the beach – and spend literally all day there without slowing down. We would play outside all day and never miss a beat. Most summers I spent with my grandparents who didn’t even have air conditioning! They had windows, a few box fans and God to provide a breeze at night.

Fast forward to me being a full grown, somewhat adult female, and I absolutely cannot tolerate the summer heat. But here’s the rub. I’m busy. I have to work. I have no summer vacay 24/7 for over two months just when I need it most.

But these babies, the ones who tolerate the heat just fine – or at least better than we do – have a summer vacation. They don’t have the responsibilities and the schedule that we do. In fact, the mommas and daddys have to work extra hard to find summer camps and schedule multiple activities to keep them occupied so they can be free to work during the smoldering summer lest the littles get bored. Bored. And then we get to work a little bit more to earn the money to pay for all these extras. Now, does that just seem wrong?

I just think this entire summer system is backwards. I do not have the physical or mental tolerance for three-digit degree days, not to mention an appropriate wardrobe. When I’m hot, I tend to wear less, and when I wear less, more hangs out. It’s just not a pretty sight.

Here’s my solution: Let’s flip the switch on this summer gig. Adults can take the summer off to refresh, relax and recuperate, and not be expected to keep our nose to the grindstone while sweating profusely trying to don business attire for a meeting. We won’t have to worry about signing up for summer camps and such; we’re really good at figuring out this R and R thing. Sure, the youth will still be out of school for the summer, but we’ll send them to work during the intolerant months as their tolerance for the oppressive temps is far greater than ours. It’s really a win/win for the 18 and under crowd, because summer days are longer, so they will still have the time and energy to participate in after hours activities once their work days are done. We adults will just coast for a couple of months and let the babies do the heavy lifting.

I’m not certain corporate America is ready for my insightful plan, but I implore them to give it a try, because my internal fan no longer works, and this free evenings and weekends of electricity gig is up. My saving grace this summer is bubbles, copious amounts of chilled bubbles, solely to keep me from bursting into flames. See y’all next week – on the porch!

Patti Parish-Kaminski