This is not what you think. Or maybe, if you are a mom, it is. When my kids were little and I was a full time stay at home mom, I would so look forward to my kids being off ALL summer long. The week before they got out of school, my tradition was to completely declutter, organize and simplify our play room, game closet and craft centers. Then once summer was here, we had lots of choices to fill our days. AND I was in charge of all the planning. If we were going to stay home and play, or maybe take a field trip somewhere, or meet up with friends, or go swimming. Even though summer was full time Mommy planning, it worked.
Then five years ago, I decided to come out of full time stay at home momdom, and took a part time job with my church. My kids were 8 & 10 and this job was too good to pass up. So for the last 5 summers I have somehow managed our summer time off in a workable fashion… But now, the kids are 13 & 15. THEY make their OWN plans, THEY have lots going on. This seems like a good thing, right? WRONG!
Because, THEY can’t drive! lol
Yep, this is what my last couple of weeks has looked like.
7:30 a.m. – take Jack to Athletics training
9:30 a.m. – pick Jack up
10:00 a.m. – take Jack to church for Mission camp
10:15 a.m. – make sure Madi made it to swim team
11:00 a.m. – make sure Madi made it home from swim team
3:00 p.m. – take Jack home
4:30 p.m. – take Madi to drivers ed
6:30 p.m. – take Madi home from drivers ed
on Tuesdays: same crazy schedule but add 2:00 take Madi to french horn private lesson and 3:00 p.m. take Madi home
Oh, and inside of all this craziness…. work 20+ hours at church, keep up with private coaching clients, and make Good Carma necklaces to fill in orders. Oh and grocery shop. Oh and cook, clean, get to meetings…
oh my goodness! Summer Torture for sure.
It’s a fine balance of wanting my kids to have some activities: like church mission camp, or athletics/music training… and not running myself crazy. You know that “water torture” where every time you are about to fall asleep, someone drips water on your forehead? I feel like that. Every time I want to sit down and REST for a minute, I realize I need to go get someone to or from somewhere….
me oh my.
My wise neighbor who has made it past this point with her 3 kids, says, this is the tiny window of craziness – when the kids are old enough to do things but not old enough to drive themselves. She says enJOY it, because once they do drive, it makes my life easier, but I’ll miss out on a lot of conversations and time together. She’s so wise. Those words really have helped me this last crazy year.
The good news is…whenever I find that the four of us are all together, I make sure to make a point of saying how wonderful this time is. They all laugh at me, but I don’t care.
I love my family and am so grateful I have the means to make summer happen. I have a car. I have money for gas. I have a job. My kids are healthy. My husband is amazing. Yes, even in summer torture, I find myself blessed.
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