Summer Brings Extra Work and Heat

Summer begins Saturday, June 21^st at 6:51 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. It’s the day with the most sunlight (the Summer Solstice) until fall returns September 23^rd.

During summer the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. Higher in the sky throughout each day, the sun beats down its rays at a more direct angle than during the rest of the year. Hot days for most of North America can become unbearable. 

Time for vacations usually dominate family plans. Changes in the typical American family affect how activities in the summer months have changed. School vacations are not as long as in the past. Many elementary schools and high schools have shorter vacation periods than just 20 to 25 years ago.

People often explained the long, up to three months, school vacations were needed to allow children to help with the planting and cultivating of farm crops. Actually, the best times to plant and reap are in the spring and fall of the calendar. Educators decided children needed a long summer break to rest after nine or 10 months of studying.

A practical explanation to having a long summer break is in the teachers’ needs for education. In the 1800s when most local governments required elementary education, many teachers had no formal teaching certifications. They used the summer months to learn their craft and get the required knowledge to teach.

For many years mothers typically didn’t work. The freedom to be housewives allowed mothers to take their children on extended summertime trips. These trips often involved several days to the seashore. Now working mothers are the norm, and the luxury of long vacations rarely exceed two weeks any more.

Today’s high school seniors often use their summertime to prepare for college. It helps to show an internship and volunteer work on college applications. It’s also an economic necessity for most college applicants and those already enrolled in college to work summer jobs to help meet the ever-increasing expenses of getting a college degree.

Visiting college campuses before making a commitment to a particular school became more than an occasional trip a few years ago. Prospective freshmen should be aware that an application showing that a prospective incoming student visited a campus adds credibility to their application package. Summer fun and freedoms have changed for many families because of mothers working full time and the requirements to prepare for college enrollment. We can’t forget the curse of summer vacation—the horrible attendance at summer school.

Maneuver your time schedule as much as you can to get time to do what you want in the hot, summer months. Stay cool during the overwhelming hot time many people call the “dog days.” And don’t forget the best advice you can get to help in the summer heat—use sunscreen.

Check my web page for a new flash fiction story at www.joevlatino.com. You can read about the Local Authors Showcase scheduled for June 27^th at the main library in Fayetteville, NC, on Maiden Lane. Several local authors will present their books for sale from 7 to 9 p.m.

Thanks for reading this blog. A new one will be in this space during the first part of July.