Ice pops, fireflies, watermelon juice running down your chin. Summer is a magical time. Fortunately, no “abracadabra” is needed to pull magical memories out of thin – or heavy, humid – air, as the case may be, but some planning is in order to make the most of your time. Although the season is ripe with opportunities to spend quality time as a family, there is an undeniable correlation between the rising temperatures and parents’ rising uncertainty as to what exactly to do with their children.

Everyone has her own way of categorizing their summer activities. Some distinguish between free ones and those that cost money, while others differentiate between those that are indoors versus out. I don’t know about other mothers, but I divide my summer activities into those with accessible bathrooms and those without. I avoid the latter at all costs. That said, here are some places to go and things to do this summer that are fun for the whole family.

Every Pesach shiur I hear begins the same way: Don’t be afraid. Don’t overdue it. Just enjoy your Pesach preparations. Give your kids a positive experience. There is nothing to be scared of.

I am waiting for one shiur to just validate the feelings of those of us who are afraid. For many thousands of women, simply hearing the words “Pesach is coming” sends chills down our spines We feel our palms start to sweat and begin breathing rapidly. We are clearly scared.

But when Paul Revere warned the colonists, in his famous midnight ride, that “the Redcoats are coming,” they weren’t paralyzed in fear. On the contrary, they used the opportunity to show the world what they were made of. So...what are we made of? What are we missing that those determined colonists had? Or, to cut right through the grease, what are we really so afraid of?