The countdown to summer break has begun in full throttle in our house with mixed emotions- excitement, fear, anticipation, and dread. On the plus side, summer means no alarm clocks, no rushing to meet the bus, no making lunches at 11 p.m., no bullying at recess, no learning bad words on the bus, and no homework. On the down side, it means bug spray, sunscreen and daily baths. Any mother of a 2 year old boy knows they splash more than Shamu. How am I going to keep these 2 little bundles of energy occupied for an entire summer? How do I keep the cries of "I'm bored" to a minimum? How do I keep them entertained without killing each other? Because there is a 4 year age difference, it can be difficult to find things to do that they both can enjoy. Sara is very leery of activities and outings that are "for babies". (Christian bristles at being called a "baby" because he is almost 3. Apparently he is ready for college and his own apartment). On the other side, the things that interest her can be beyond the scope of a 2 year old's interests and capabilities. Paul will be traveling for work for part of the summer, so it will be 2 against 1 and my kids know they hold a majority and attempt to abuse their temporary power. I will have to plan some fun extracurricular activities to pass the time - morning, noon and night. My plan will include shamelessly inviting ourselves over for dinner and playdates to the homes of our very kind and unsuspecting friends.
Growing up, my mother didn't fret over our summer activities. She would feed us breakfast and kick us out of the house until dinner time. We were expected to keep ourselves amused and alive. Sadly, times have changed. Gone are the days of letting kids have such freedom. I don't think I'm allowed to send my 2 year old out into the cornfields to fend for himself. My 7 year old would march herself over to her (not-so) secret crush's house and never return. I know by mid-August we all be ready for school to start again. But, we will also miss summer.
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