For those of you homeschooling this year, the anticipation of summer probably pushed you to the finish line. And you’ve done it. That last school assignment has been turned in, and you get a gold star in parenting! You’re so relieved—summer is here at last.

But wait.

This long-anticipated break from school won’t look like your normal summer. If your summers are much like mine were with a house full of children, every day is usually filled to the brim with activities. Most parents experience this—a lot of summer schedules are dictated by children’s sports activities, summer camps, a variety of lessons, play dates and parties, and church trips. You often find yourself rushing around between baseball practices, swim lessons, Vacation Bible School, cheerleading camps, and piano lessons.

You probably won’t have that problem of overbooking this year. In fact, this summer will look very different from the summers of the past. That family vacation you squeezed between the last baseball game and summer choir camp? It’s now crossed off the calendar. Those swim lessons at the local pool? They’re now canceled. And baseball, hot dogs, and Fourth of July parades? All gone, except maybe the hot dogs. As you review your summer calendar, you see a lot of blank spots.

What will you fill them with?

Whatever activities you pencil into those white spaces, you’ll be making memories. Maybe this is the summer where you and your family discover that simple is better. Take advantage of the relaxed routine. The older kids will remember those conversations around the table as they munch on chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven. The younger ones may not remember what was said, but they will all remember how they felt when they snuggled with you.

ICR can help you with some of those open spots on your calendar. Each Friday, we’re currently offering a Facebook live Q&A with ICR scientists and events staff. During the online event, our featured scientists answer questions that you submit ahead of time or during the actual interview. We also offer Zoom events throughout the week for homeschools, private schools, church groups, and others. Using platforms like Zoom or Facebook, students, educators, families, and ministries can enjoy free live stream presentations with our team of scientists. Follow us on Facebook @ICRscience to find out about our upcoming presentations, or go to ICR.org/virtual-classroom to host a private online presentation for your educational or ministry group. You can discover scientific evidence that confirms the Bible without ever leaving home.

So, while summer is here at last, and it doesn’t look a thing like the summers of the past, that’s okay. You can make this the most memorable summer yet. Take the time to look into your children’s eyes—to smile, to listen, to let them know you like being with them. Relax. Have fun with unscheduled living.

Someday, you’ll all look back at this time and say, “Remember the summer of the pandemic when we…?” You get to fill in the blanks today. What memories will you fill them with? Even if you fill the blank spots with “nothing,” it can be something. It can be a summer they never forget.

* Jayme Durant is Director of Communications at the Institute for Creation Research.