Too Many Fireflies

June 5, 2025

“The best thing about your newsletter,” a reader told me once when I met her at an event, “is the sheer number of things to do. Stuff I didn’t already know about. And it’s all in one handy place.”

“Thanks!” I said, glowing a little.

“And the worst thing,” she added, “is the guilt trip. I know you don’t mean to lay it on us. But every parent wants to do everything, and there’s just... so much. Especially in summer.”

She’s not wrong. Summer is the Olympics of parenting. Kids are out of school, the sun’s out, and our event calendar—open to all local organizations to post for free—turns into a beautiful, exhausting buffet of fun. It’s tempting to want to sample it all. But let me say this clearly, with zero guilt and maybe a little Latin: Ego te absolvo.

You don’t have to do it all. You’re not supposed to do it all! A happy childhood is a long, winding walk, not a summer-long sprint. So go ahead and make a summer bucket list—but make it yours. Our page of 101 Day Trips has something for everyone within 2 hours' drive. Need budget-friendly options? Check our “Everything That’s Free” page. Want inspiration with no tech, no travel, and no cost? Our “50 Ways to Love Your Summer” guide is your new best friend.

The point isn’t to do all the things—it’s to find the ones that matter most to your crew. Sure, there are more festivals than weekends, more fireflies blinking in the backyard than anyone could ever count. That’s the magic of summer: It’s overflowing. Just chase the sparks that light up for your family.

—Deb