It should come as no surprise that my summer vacation has turned into a full time job. Anyone with kids knows how this goes. Whenever the kids have a ‘break’ it is anything BUT a ‘break’ for the at -home parent. For any parent really. I wish I could say this is true because I have so many amazing activities planned for my brood, but that isn’t even it. I think there is something at work in the universe that tries to keep me from just ‘hanging out’ with my kids when they are on break. My calendar seems to be fuller than ever when they are home.
This causes several problems, the first of which is extreme guilt for me. I really hate being gone when my kids are home. It isn’t like I’m afraid they will burn the house down, that would have happened back in ’99 if it was going to. I left my boys home while I ‘ran’ to the bus stop with Maegan. The good news was that our carpet was not overly flamable. The bad news is that when a lit match was stuck into the said carpet it melted and turned black. Small miracles. No, my desire to be home with the kids stems more from my fear that they will turn into potato shaped Wall-E people with mush for brains. Forget about the increase in my utility bill due to my air conditioner trying to stave off the 115 degree weather outside, my bill goes up because of all the electronics that are on in my house. We have three working computers, three televisions, an Xbox and a wii. All of which can be on at the same time some days.
I try hard to think back to my childhood/teen days of summer in the valley and I don’t come up with a lot of activities other than swimming. The occassional afternoon movie hazes into view but they were always old black and white movies mostly staring Godzilla or some western icon.(one eyed fat man) I am pretty sure those movies were so boring they don’t count. The fact was and is that it is too darn hot here to go outside and do much once the summer has arrived.
I did purchase season passes to the local water park. It is a bit of a drive away but it will serve to get us outside fairly frequently as well as cause a magnificent tan to appear in time for my wedding. (I hope) The challenge is just making sure I can squeeze in the water trips between all the visits to the doctor, vet, job interviews, basketball camp, piano lessons, house cleaning, etc. I think the key is to skip the house cleaning. I don’t want to over work myself….cause I said so.
Jun 04, 2012 @ 14:59:21
Don’t give up too easily…your time with the kids is passing by faster every second…give them the time they need and deserve…then perhaps you’ll make some good memories… to tide you over later. And…memoried don’t really have to cost a lot…do you remember the water fights? I think there were only two that I was involved in with you kids… I wish we’d done more spontaneous things. I know because…
Jun 04, 2012 @ 17:36:05
At least your priority about house cleaning is right on! Other than that, I know occupying teens is a difficult job. Try seeking out classic movies for late night movie watching. I know you guys are night owls anyway. And by classics I mean all the movies you loved growing up. : )
Jun 05, 2012 @ 05:39:09
so basically….anything John Hughes, right? lol
Jun 05, 2012 @ 12:06:26
Isn’t it grand Mary Kate!?!