The Summer Grumbling
It's 2:47 PM on a Tuesday in June and I've already complained about the dishes, the laundry, the crumbs, the constant snacks, the "I'm bored" before lunch even settled, and the fact that I haven't even made dinner yet.
My kids are playing in the living room when I catch myself saying it out loud: "I can't believe I have to make another meal."
And then I see my daughter pause mid-game. She's looking at me. And I realize she's absorbed that frustration: the low-level complaining that's become the background soundtrack to our summer so far.
When did summer become something to endure instead of something to enjoy?
The school year has structure. There's rhythm. But summer? Suddenly it feels like endless meal prep, endless cleaning, endless demands for entertainment, and endless fights to break up.
And what emerges is this chronic heaviness and low-level grumbling about it all.
Paul writes something I needed to hear:
"Do everything without grumbling or complaining, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."
- Philippians 2:14-16
Do everything without grumbling. Ugh.
Not just the big things. Not just when you're with other people. Everything.
I know what you're thinking: "Paul never had to spend a summer with my kids at home!"
But Paul wrote this to people under Roman persecution, which might feel the same some days, but I promise you it’s not. And yet he still says do everything without grumbling.
Not because summer isn't hard, but because grumbling steals something from us, and from our kids.
When we constantly complain about summer, our kids learn that it's a burden. We model the idea that hard things are reasons to complain rather than opportunities for growth. We miss the chance to show them grace, and how to stay in the moment even when it’s hard, and how to recover from challenging situations.
But here's what Paul also says: "Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."
When you stop grumbling and respond differently, you become a light. You stand out.
Your kids ask for the fifth snack and instead of sighing, you say: "Sure, let's find something."
The laundry pile is overwhelming, but instead of complaining, you notice the popsicle stain on your daughter's shirt and smile about how it got there.
It's the third "I’m bored" of the day, but instead of dismissing it, you suggest something you'd actually enjoy doing together.
You're tired. You're hot. You miss the structure. But you choose to respond in grace rather than grumble.
And suddenly… you shine, friend.
Not because you're pretending everything is fine. But because you've chosen a different way of moving through it.
Here's the truth: Grumbling is a choice. So is the alternative.
Every time you want to complain about the dishes, you can choose to be grateful for the food and family. Every time you want to sigh about the mess, you can see it as evidence of a life being lived. Every time you want to mutter about another meal, you can choose to see it as an opportunity.
These are small pivots. But they change everything.
This week, try this: Pick one task that usually gets the complaining treatment – the dishes, the snacks, the mess. Do it without grumbling. Just once! No internal or external commentary about how much you hate it.
Notice how it feels different. Notice if it changes your mood, your presence, or your kids' response to you.
Then do it again tomorrow with a different task.
You don't have to transform overnight. But you can start shining a little brighter, one task at a time.
Your kids need to see that. They need to watch you do hard things with grace. They need to learn that you can acknowledge struggle without being consumed by it.
Do everything without grumbling. Even summer. Especially summer.
Because when you do, you shine. And your kids learn to shine, too.
