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| Summer Circ |
When I just had a gaggle of little kids, it was fun to relax into summer. But now some of them are older, and nothing puts the gag in gaggle like teenagers. It's virtual torture for Golda and Ruby to travel in a pack with the littles. It's very difficult to hang out at the park with a fourteen year old. And it's impossible to go clothes shopping with a two-year-old. So not only do I have to plan for summertime fun with grade school kids, but I have to do it with two babies while working around the teens' schedules, which can involve a lot of driving and some tricky logistics. So if you're smugly pulling out your sprinkler toys and craft projects and thinking it's going to be a wonderful summer with your wonderful kids, and why can't I just do what you do, imagine doing the sprinkler toy with a hungry baby and a daring toddler while a high school girl rolls her eyes and wishes for some peace and quiet. Things flood. Kids go missing. People get hungry. Bugs get in, dogs get out, popsicles melt on the porch. Our quality of life tanks when school ends, basically. It's just way too much of a good thing. I already spend all my time with some or all of my kids. You know, some of them get up at six and others don't go to bed until 11:00 or later. I love it, but it's intense. Parenting doesn't just happen. You have to be so mindful.
I will grow to embrace what summer means. I can't whip summer into submission. I just have to take off my shoes and become the 19-year-old free spirit who once spent summers in Europe with no plan. That's hard when you're everybody's everything, 24-7. One benefit of spending so many long, slow summers abroad, however, is that I know I have enough Bohemian in me to pull it off. Nobody said it would be easy. They only said it would be worth it. Ha ha. Did anyone really ever say that? Because if they did, I want to smack them. It is worth it, though, to approach summer mindfully and with a clear-cut idea of what my intentions are, so that I can be the nice mom I want to be. These are precious times, and I refuse to be overwhelmed by them. This summer is MINE! Bring it on!
6 comments:
Love it. I can so relate. I have things like making crayon rocks with the kids. I don't think Lex is going to be into that. So... I plan to do "littles" stuff while she is at cheer practice and cheer camp. The other times might be activities she enjoys. Plus... who said we have to be together all the time. It is possible to divide and conquer. I can drop her at the mall with her crew and the others can feed the ducks. It works. I think you are right. Parenting is mindful and you have to know what your kids need in order to succeed. One may go with the flow and the others may require structure (as in our case - J). Whatever works. Another favorite church saying, "There is more than one road to Zion" - right?! :)
I'm a little worried because.. last summer I failed to be mindful. It was out of control.. too much TV.. too much sugar.. too many late nights. This year I've planned quite a lot of it in advance. I don't want a repeat of last year. The toddler/teen thing is tricky for me and it's hard to please everyone. We are going to take turns (choosing activities) sometimes and we are going to be be nice about it.. OR ELSE! :D
I love having my kids home, but I get stressed when I feel that they are wasting huge amounts of time or being spoiled and or grumpy and if they do that this year.. they get yardwork or something. But, I am determined that we are going to be productive citizens this summer.. even if it is really hot. (fasting, praying, rubbing rabbit's foot, holding 4 leaf clover fingers crossed!)
LOL! Good luck!!
Oh, man! Good luck! If anyone can do it you can! My brain hurts and my blood boils just thinking about the craziness, messes and stress! But then that's why you have 7 kids and I don't! Hey, there's always a pack of neighborhood kids around here going in and out of houses begging for popsicles, leaving the sticks in the grass and then moving onto the next house. I'm sure some of your kids could blend in with the pack.:)
AMEN!! The teenager-toddler divide is a big one.
I plan to give my children ownership of the success of their summer. Why do I need to be a cruise director? I hope your transition from terror to enthusiasm for summer is successful so you can guide me. (Oops, does that mean I'm looking for a cruise director?)
That has been the hardest thing for us, having a little one and older ones. It is really taxing.
If anyone can do it, you can!
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