Summer morning checklist | Free MFA | Shakespeare |
Howdy,
First a quick announcement, MLK Mom Katie needs your help. The trains at Sherman Street Rail Crossing started making loud train whistles at 6am in the morning since beginning of this month, keeping surrounding neighbors including her 3 kids from sleeping. Help Katie out by signing this petition, which is half way to getting 500 signatures.
And how's the summer going for you?
Well, our summer camp mornings have been tough. There's a lot more to worry about: sunscreen, swimwear, change of clothes, towel, lunch, bagged lunch for field trips, phew!
If I forgot to take out the lunch box the night before? Eewwwww...
And yes there's scheduled swimming days when the kids need to change into swimwear, but there are also field trip days and sprinkler days. We often get to summer camp much later than we planned. Whatever happened to our nice school-day morning routine?
I decided action is in order: a new summer checklist!
Joint projects usually work well at our house, as our kids love to add their ideas:
"Mom, you forgot shoes and backpack!"
"But that's obvious. Oh fine."
And after we did the morning list, we added also an afternoon checklist, very important, for giving me the lunch boxes. I walked the kids through hanging up their swimwear and web clothes (so they won't smell of mildew before having a chance to wash.)
And then we're ready to try it out. My daughter put the checklist on her pink clipboard and checks it herself in the morning.
The kids still need reminders from time to time, but things are definitely going better.
Yesterday on the way to school, I asked the kids, wait did you check for your bagged lunch? Of course, they looked at me like it's oh-so-obvious.
And this morning, we made it to camp right as it opened, first time ever! And both kids were #1 in their respective classrooms. It made them very happy, and me too. :)
Weekend plans This weekend is the opening of both Shakespeare on the Common and Shakespeare right at Denahy Park. If you're like me and can't tell Richard III and Henry IV apart, well i went ahead and checked out the plot for both. (I learned that's necessary after naively taking my kids to King Lear, and sitting thru the torture scene and trying frantically to cover their eyes.)
Richard III has of a number murders and even one of two young princes (off-stage), (though MLK dad Ankur suggests it's got wicked black humor); while Henry IV is about the coming of age of Prince of Hal through battles. I vote for the latter, at Denahy Park. :)
And if you're one of the brave parents who's thinking about biking with your kids to summer camp, there's a bike riding for families workshop. (My hats off to Christina and her kid! :)
Weekend Events
First weekend: SHAKESPEARE’S HENRY IV in Cambridge
Free and open to the public. See plot here: 1:05 in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2kQugZ2COo Schedule: ...
Wednesday 7/18, 7pm - Sun., Danehy Park, Cambridge 
First weekend - Free Shakespeare on the Common
Richard III: Performances are FREE and open to the public till 8/5/18. Schedule Wednesday, July 18 at 8:00pm Thurs...
Wednesday 7/18, 8pm - Sun., Boston Common 
Free admission. Participate in hands-on art-making activities, join engaging tours, and see thought-provoking exhibitio...
Friday, 10am, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival
The Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival has grown into one of the largest sand sculpting festivals in th...
Friday, 10am - Sun., Revere Beach 
Family Adventures: Charles River Day
Join us for a day of free fishing and kayaking! Esplanade Association staff and professional anglers from Charles River...
Saturday, 10am, Community Boating 
Join us for a Search Party & Where’s Waldo Activities! The Waldo search is coming to life in Harvard Square as we ce...
Saturday, 1pm, Harvard Coop, Cambridge 
New England’s longest-running Latino Cultural Celebration. Festival Betances has become a staple in New England’s La...
Saturday, 1pm - Sun., 100 W. Dedham St., Boston 
Kid’s Day at the Boston Triathlon!
We are excited to host the third annual Boston Triathlon SPLASH & DASH and the Kid’s Fun Run. The SPLASH & DASH will c...
Saturday, 2pm, Babe Ruth Rd & William J Day Blvd, Boston 
Enjoy dance performances and workshops of all different genres as Boston Children's Museum and Urbanity Dance partner w...
Sunday, 11am, Boston Children’s Museum
Buskerfest at the Central Flea!
New England's top street performance artists dazzle with you with their unique talents and skills. Plus our usual aweso...
Sunday, 11am, University Park, Cambridge 
The Auto Flea at The Automatic
Come hangout at The Automatic Food & Drink. We will be taking over the patio and turning it into a flea market. Featuri...
Sunday, 12pm, The Automatic Food & Drink, Cambridge 
Bicycle Workshop: Riding with Families
Learn more about safe biking as a family! Learn how biking with kids is different than biking alone Find out about th...
Sunday, 1:30pm, Islamic Society of Boston, Cambridge 
Recommended by MLK mom Sen! Circus Smirkus is coming to Waltham again from 7/27-7/29. We've gone to see this show...
Friday 7/27, 1pm - 7/29, Gore Place, Waltham 
InterACT with the public art projects, reACT to the dance performances, ACTivate your imagination, and create an artifA...
Saturday 7/28, 11am - 7/29, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Boston 