The start of a new school year is the time for new clothes and notebooks, sneakers and backpacks. It’s also the time to bid farewell to summer.
For some families, that means a special dinner or a blow out barbecue. It's also a great time to create or continue a family tradition.
For the Kaviani family of Potomac, it means celebrating a commitment to spend Labor Day weekend at Deep Creek Lake with an ever-growing group of friends.
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“We’ve been going for nearly 10 years,” said Goli Kaviani. “The kids can do water sports and spend time with each other for the final long weekend of the summer. The adults relax and look forward to spending time together with friends we see only once or twice a year.”
Traditions and family rituals like this are important said Meg Cox, a family traditions expert and author of The Book of New Family Traditions.
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“We live in an increasingly intrusive culture. You need family rituals to mark out your tribe," Cox said. "To give your kids a sense of what it means to be in your family.”
Summer is an especially appropriate time for a family tradition because, “we’re all wistful about the end of summer,” she added.
She suggests families “do the things you really love but do them bigger than usual. Have ice cream, sparklers, s’mores. Eat the s’mores in the dark and talk about the highlights of the summer. Name the best book, the best movie, the best experience…Relive the summer and enjoy yourselves.”
It’s easy to create a tradition of your own. It can be anything that “sings” to you. Stay up all night watching movies in your own marathon. Spend a day at home in your pajamas. Eat dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.
Take a and picnic at Great Falls. Ride your bikes to White's Ferry and cross the Potomac. Have lunch outside in the Village, head up to Sugarloaf Mountain, or go skating at the Cabin John Ice Rink.
Whatever you decide, be sure to give it a twist to make it memorable. And fun.
“Don’t be afraid to be silly,” said Cox. “Any time you can give your kids the license to be silly is great.”
