Comments on merlot mom: Pre-Summertime Angst

YES! We're exactly here. School ends 5/27 and as...

2009-05-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

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.

So I'm not the only one? Sweet mercy, this summer...

2009-05-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

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.

If you know at a minimum that they aren't allowed ...

2009-05-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

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?

How about hiring a part-time nanny for the summer?...

2009-05-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

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!

We have a short summer this year so it will be eas...

2009-05-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

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!"

I JUST realized that my child will be out of schoo...

2009-05-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

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!

I read an article in Parents magazine one time abo...

2009-05-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

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.