“They’re here for such a short time and they bring so much joy. Seriously how beautiful are they?”
No sooner had my wife said that when two of our kids went dashing across the back yard.
“Yeah I suppose you’re right. In the grand scheme of things they are here for a short amount of time.”
“Did you know they live underground as larvae for as long as two years?”
“Well I know our kids have some bad habits but I didn’t realize…”
“I meant the fireflies, Mark!”
“Oh yeah. I knew that.”
Summer in our office of pediatric dentistry is decidedly different than during the school year. Because the majority of our patients are in elementary or middle school the pace of summer is quite different. During the school year everyone wants afternoon appointments so our mornings can be a bit on the quiet side then around 2:00 pm or so things really liven up and we’re bustling with activity until 5:00 pm. When summer rolls around our dental office tends to be steady during the day and around 2:30 or so and our afternoons tend to be quieter.
Blame it on the fireflies. Summer calls and we make plans for afternoon cookouts, dips in the pool, swim meets, and excursions to the zoo. And like those fireflies that are only around for a few weeks, the kids want tend to want to rush through summer taking advantage of every opportunity. Trampolines, canoes, summer camp, movies. How much “relaxation” can we cram into one summer?
My bride however is much better at summer than I am. As we sat out on the deck that night I realized she was correct (again). All too often I’ll want to rush through the summer and like some of my kids, cram adventure into every spare moment. She wants to relax and just watch. Those fireflies, like our little ones, are only with us for a short time. Heck some of ours started plotting their move to Oregon (because that’s far away from home) when they were 13. One day they’re telling you how they never want to leave, and the next day they’re asking if Alaska or Oregon is further.
Hey it happens to the best of parents.
So this summer we’ve promised each other that every night possible we would watch our fireflies, and spend as much time as possible just hanging out with our kids. Yeah our office doesn’t really have an off-season and even though school does, the kids don’t. So this summer we’re going to spend as much time hanging out with the kids and watching them grow up because like those fireflies, our children won’t stay in our backyard for very long.
And as always if you or someone you know is looking for a great pediatric dentist, one that knows the value of your time, even in summer, feel free to share this with them, click here, or give us a call at our dental office for kids.
864 877-3232
