I just had a vision: my three children home on a school day with n-o-t-h-i-n-g to do except complain and bother one another. . .

Oh that’s right, Friday's the first day of summer "vacation" in our home.

Don the black armbands fellow parents -- school’s almost out.

Can you hear a din on the horizon? A certain low-high hum slowly increasing in velocity? Does it go something like this? “MmmmmmOOOmmmm, where Aaare yuuuuuOOoooo Wwwwhhhooo can I PLAY wuuuuiiiith todaaaay?”

The pattern varies a bit and may include a “Nooooo, thaaAAAt’s boooOOOOringggg. MmmmmmOOOmmmmeeeeee ”

Piercing I know. But it’s coming!

Vacation time.

Vacation time.

Vacation time.

Yeah, still isn’t registering for me either. Where’s MY vacation? Make that, where’s MY vaaaAAAcccation! (Two can play that whine game.)

Back in March, I began stockpiling enforcements. Park camp. Check. Another week of park camp. Check. Y camp. Horse camp. Wildlife camp. Art camp. And what about the two-year old? Preschool camp. Check, check, check…

Checks with many digits flew out the door.

I know I shouldn’t fear an expanse of “down time” for my high-energy offspring. What better way to increase focus and expand imagination than to start building with Legos or even create homes for the backyard lizards.

Or let creativity flow at the drawing table. All good. It’s just when my eight-year old excitedly announced, “Did you know we have a hundred days of vacation?!” 

I thought I was going to throw-up.

In our home, the ‘bored’ level hits far too quickly, even when held back by fierce warnings to “give Mommy a moment.”

So Thursday it is.

At one twenty-five p.m., the school doors open, the children flood out, hand their awaiting grim-faced parents all of their gear, race ahead to the car and announce: “So what are we doing tomorrow?”

Mama’s hoping it involves yoga.

By Maija Threlkeld

Labels: Maija Threlkeld

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# posted by Writing Mamas Salon @ 11:12 AM