The slight chill in the night air, slowly falling temperatures, dotted colors among a sea of green leaves, and long days of sunlight slowly drifting away. Coupled with this are the sounds of laughter among collective groups of children as they prepare for another year of school.

These are indicators that summer is ebbing away, and slowly, like the last rays of sunlight, the fall season is rising on the horizon. As children gather in anticipation of another school year, some parents are thankful that school will soon begin.

I, too, was one of those parents, but as the years slowly creep up on me, I have come to realize that I wish I could turn back the hands of time. If I could redo it, I would, opting instead to spend more time with my children and less time waiting and hoping that school will begin sooner rather than later.

We only have this one opportunity to spend with our children. Before we know it, they are transformed from little ones into young adults; and these precious times are gone forever. Then, for some parents, the regrets of “should have, could have, would have” loom in front of them.

Here are a few ideas on how to take advantage of opportunities, and to keep regrets at bay —

— Review with your child some of the reading and math skills learned during the previous school year.

— Tour local historical and archaeological sites.

— Rent a canoe or kayak and float down a river.

— Visit local, state and national parks for picnics, swimming or camping.

— Go for bicycle rides as a family.

These are but a small set of examples. Hopefully, they will inspire you to create your own ideas for spending time with your child/children during the “Fading Sounds of Summer.” This is something that He would encourage you to do.

Daniel J. Paul is a retired school administrator. His articles focus on education, old-fashioned family values, relationships and other topics. His website is at meaningfuldifferences.net.