Remember the days of freedom? Sun-soaked afternoons spent exploring the woods behind your house, the thrill of a street hockey game, the endless hours lost in the pages of a well-worn paperback? That, my friends, was the summer of the 90s. And while we’re busy lamenting the ever-growing list of things our kids can’t do (remember climbing trees?), maybe we’re missing the opportunity to give them something truly special: a 90s summer.
No, I don’t mean dressing them in Doc Martens and oversized flannels (though, those would be pretty cool). I mean embracing the spirit of independence, creativity, and simple joy that defined that decade. Let them roam, let them play, let them get bored. Encourage them to build forts, invent games, and find their own adventures.
The world of the 90s was a less structured one, less reliant on screens and more on imagination. Sure, there were Tamagotchis and Game Boys, but the real magic lay in the simple act of using your own mind and body to create something new.
So, ditch the structured activities and the constant need for “enrichment”. Trade the screens for dirt under your fingernails. Give your kids a summer to remember, a summer of 90s-style freedom. They might just thank you for it later, remembering it fondly as the summer they truly came alive.
