Well, Joshua’s not even technically out of school yet (his last day is tomorrow) and I already can’t wait for it to start again. The big kids are at a point where the dynamic betwixt them is very difficult to bear. Joshua delights in letting Sophie know how stupid she is and in getting on her nerves, and Sophie delights in screaming like a banshee and grossly overreacting to everything that he does. OH, and Joshua also delights in tattling on Sophie who delights in doing whatever-the-hell-she-wants-no-matter-what-her-mom-told-her. As you can imagine the tattling also sends Sophie into hysterics.
And all these hysterics from them send me into hysterics of my own.
I’ve made very few plans, besides buying a pool pass to the local pool, which I hate, to survive this summer. I really do not like being on the go that much and three days a week at the pool is about all I can stand. I have no money for kids camp or a nanny. I also apparently, have no mothering skills for navigating this time in our lives.
When I was a kid, my mom had a job and my dad was a teacher so he was home with us in the summer, but he was constantly building something so you know, if we got on his nerves he could just hammer something. And anyway, we were free to run around our very safe neighborhood and come home when we were hungry for a JELL-O Puddin’ Pop and then leave again for hours on end, so I think it was just an easier time to be a parent. This is not the world I live in. Partly because of choices we’ve made that are for our family and partly because the world is just not as nice and safe and easy now as it was thirty years ago.
So, what will we do this summer to pass the time? I think I’m about to go sign my kids up for every possible daytime VBS in our area. Well, every daytime VBS run by good Christians that is. I’d like the kids to stick with Jesus and all. I LOVED VBS as a kid and Joshua and Sophie loved it last summer. They can have fun, be apart from each other, and learn about Jesus. And Jonah and I can have some alone time. Win-Win-Win-Win. Yep, VBS and the pool. Children’s museum once or twice…I don’t know what else. I still have toddler nap times to work around!
I’m sure you all judge and/or hold me in contempt, but I am not looking forward to this summer at all. But hey, I’m going to be in LA for the first three official days of break! Which means my official summer with the kids will start with jet lag, but I think it’ll be worth it. And I’m setting my expectations for the summr low, so they’re sure to be exceeded, right!? RIGHT!!????
How are you keeping your kids busy this summer?
