This is the time of year, right before school ends, when I hit my forehead in realization and exclaim, "Holy Shit! What the f*ck are my kids going to do all summer?"
It's not just that I'm lazy. Or that I procrastinate. Okay, it's a little bit of that. But it's also that in January, when I start asking my kids what they would like to do this summer, they always answer the same way, "Stay home". And when I tell them they can't sit home and watch tv all day and then pleasantly offer suggestions, all I hear in response is, "Ewww. No. That place sucked." Or "Their buses had lice," or "So and so went last year and said that camp was soooo boring".
After spacing out my requests, in May, I usually find myself in the same position.
WITH NUTHIN'.
I could do as other parents do and sign my kids up for things regardless of whether they say they like them or not. It works for some. It does NOT work for me. I've tried. Really. In fact, I've spent lots of money, on camps, on violin, piano, and tennis lessons to name only a few. Trust me, my kids are as stubborn as I am and when they don't want to do something it becomes a very expensive stand-off - one that I most often lose because I'm the one paying.
So. Here I am. May. Nuthin'.
Now that the weather is feeling like summer, I have developed this fantasy in my head that maybe it could be fun to be non-committed for the summer. Maybe we'll make plans - go to the beach, ride bikes, visit the aquarium. Maybe we could make good use of the time out of school and of living in SoCal. The skies the limit since anything I choose would cost the same or less than the pricey day camps around here.
But I'm no fool. I know where this is taking me.
Whines. Moans. Boredom....Anti-anxiety meds.
Here's the thing. At this point, I'm just too damn tired to deal with it.
Zoloft anyone?
7 Comments:
I read an article in Parents magazine one time about this mom who was going through the same thing. She ended up giving her kids a free summer, no camps, classes, workshops. They just did a bunch of things together. It worked out great for them from what a remember.
My daughter is only 18 months old so I think I have a couple of years before I have to worry about it.
Hope it all works out and you guys all have a fun summer.
I JUST realized that my child will be out of school in less than a month, and I have no idea how I'm going to get any work done with both kids at home all the live long day.
I'm working on it!
We have a short summer this year so it will be easier. One kid is going to church camp for a week, and we're going to Colorado for the 2 weeks before BlogHer, and by the time we all get home it will be football practice for 2 weeks and then school starts. So much for summer. The upside? There will be no time for "Mom, I'm bored!"
How about hiring a part-time nanny for the summer? Cheaper than camps, and it gives you your me time while the nanny runs around having fun with the kids. It works for me - and I'm the nanny!
If you know at a minimum that they aren't allowed to stay home all day and watch TV, then you give them a list of things to choose from. They HAVE to choose something, or you will choose for them. They will complain about it, but that's because they will never say yes to anything except "stay home and watch TV all day". But they won't complain as much because they got to pick whatever it was. I know it's a total pain in the ass because you don't want go through the whole complaining process, but they KNOW this. Which is why they do it. If they aren't self-disciplined enough to know that they need a plan, then that's an obvious sign that you still have to teach that concept to them. Again. Kids are boundary pushers, plain and simple.
Boy, aren't I the preachy one? Don't listen to me, I'm not a mom, what the hell do I know?
So I'm not the only one? Sweet mercy, this summer is going to be a tough one, I'm predicting. The kids, for the first time, have started asking to be in activities that we can't afford. This means more complaints of "I'm bored!"
But my philosophy is to embrace the gift that is boredom. The developing mind needs unstructured, free-as-you-please downtime, yada yada. I just wish for a sound proof room while their bored little selves go about the business of developing.
YES! We're exactly here. School ends 5/27 and aside from a week on The Cape and a few long weekends, I've got nothin' except ideas. I don't want every second accounted for but I do need them to NOT kill each other or memorize more Tom and Jerry episodes.
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