Summer hit me by surprise this year. Granted, the job action in BC forced our “summer” to start 2 weeks early, and that stole those sweet few weeks of tying up loose ends and finishing projects.
But today it was here.
Balls out, in my face, SUMMER BREAK.
And somehow, even with all the warning, I missed it.
The girls slept in, and I went to work.
The girls woke up, and I kept working.
The girls did “something” until I noticed they were in the house and freaked out because they were still in their jammies and we HAD TO GO GET THEIR BROTHER RIGHT NOW!!!
It was 1230 and they hadn’t had breakfast, or left the “rainbow loom room”
I was aghast. I mean, I had left a list of chores for them to do? I thought they were responsible??
I dropped the ball.
I mean, it was the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!
Even if the last day of school was a weird and awkward experience of “see ya in september, maybe, or next week?” Summer IS here, and somehow I need to find a way to re-capture that for my kids.
We have two weeks left until their little brother is done pre-school and “summer break” officially hits. Until then, we are going to set some rules so that the 3 of us can get through without losing it.
1. Get up and eat.
Mommy works. So that means if you don’t get up at “breakfast time’ you are on your own for feeding. This was part of the problem this morning- it was after 9 when they finally woke and I was knee deep into my days work.
2. Outside before inside.
We have chores here on a daily basis, but I have been lax in when and how they do them. Starting tomorrow, chores are done before the rainbow loom comes out or the tv goes on. I mean, free ranging the chickens isn’t hard work, and I highly encourage them to bring a book down while they do it.
3. Moments of fun
Being in that strange purgatory of summer but not quite summer, we need to find a balance between work and fun. I have asked them to list a few things we can do “after” my work hours and without their brother to squeeze in some fun times. Hikes, ice cream and the tuesday farmers market are on the list, and I think that is pretty manageable.
4. Remind myself to be spontaneous.
I had prepared myself for a “reduced schedule summer” but with two weeks now bumped from my schedule and me racing to balance ALL THE THINGS, I need to remind myself to slow down, say no and be spontaneous. If there is a moment, I want to grab it.
5. PLAN for spontaneity.
Yes. Kind of an oxymoron isn’t it, but totally necessary. When I can plan “free moments” into our life, or recognize time coming up that doesn’t need to be filled, I open my mind to letting anything happen. Hubby and I looked at the schedule for the next few weeks and have opened some gaps for us to enjoy and explore in whatever way is best.
Summer coming early isn’t really a gift for me or the kids (they are already bored and I am already stressed) but we are going to do our best to look at it as one. It just takes a little adjusting and some letting go to make it happen.