By Jen Slayden
My kids could not contain their excitement when they got out of school a week earlier than some of their friends in town. They didn’t have a spring break this year so they had a jump start on summer vacation.
I picked the kids up on the last day. I met them in the breezeway out front. As soon as I spotted my daughter Grace I could tell she had plans. She enticed me like a well-trained auctioneer. “Mom, did you get my message? I want to go over to Alex’s house and Maddi is going too and oh we are going to a party first and did you talk to Heidi? And oh and she will take us over the Alex’s after the party and we will stay overnight.” Insert several other K-8 kids on last day of school sugar treats screaming and talking over Grace simultaneously.
Um, okay. So I’m thinking SCHOOL’S OUT FOR THE SUMMER! Let the fun begin. I let Grace have her spontaneous plans and went home with the boys. I took them to 3-D Shrek later to give them something special to celebrate the beginning of summer break. Little did I know this would become a point of contention with my daughter, who later on felt left out even though she was having her own fun!
The next day she stayed at her friends house as I facilitated my last community music group of the season. They were invited to go, but were inclined to sleep in late and have their girl time. That carried over into the afternoon when I received a call from Grace to ask permission to to watch Alex’s horse lesson. I said, “Fine, but right after that you need to come home.”
Later when she was dropped off she sprung a fast one on me. “Mom, Maddi already called her mom and her mom said it was okay if she comes over for a bit.” I was taken a little off guard. We have a rule as a family that we discuss these requests BEFORE friends are invited over. But it’s summer, and I really didn’t mind Maddi coming over for a bit longer, so I agreed. “One hour,” I told Grace.
They happily jumped on the trampoline….for about three minutes. “Mom, we’re bored.” “How can you be bored?” “We don’t feel like jumping, and there’s nothing to do. Can we come with you to the store?” “You really want to go to the grocery store with me? It’s kind of boring.” What I was really thinking was, Mark is home and I get to go to the store for a few minutes of peace and quiet! But pretty soon the boys hatched the idea that we have a family movie night and then Mark hatched the idea that the KIDS have a family movie night and mom and dad go out for dinner! (The benefit of FINALLY having a teenager that can babysit). So this made the trip to town, the grocery store, and the video store with four wild children a bit more tolerable.
My entire week felt discombobulated. I was wrapping up several music projects for schools and Ymusic. My husband Mark, who has been more present the last year as he switched careers is now hired out for the entire season as a fishing guide. This means I will be Mom, Dad, and everything else in between as I maneuver through summer break.
I am very aware that I need to get organized. Mark set up an awesome plan for rotating “teams” who compete against each other in chores each week. He named the teams cleverly, the PURPLE LIZARDS against the BLUE IGUANA’S. The chore lists are sectioned off for quadrants of our house and outside area. The idea is brilliant. Our follow-through this week has been less than brilliant. We (the kids and I) are getting ready to leave for Monarch Fiddle Camp and added to the already busy schedule that has taken a lot of time.
So, I would love a little input. I’ll share with you a few ideas I am going to implement for summer break with my kids. In return, I would enjoy YOUR feedback to this question. What do you do to keep yourself and your family organized during the long months of summer?
Here are a few tips for school-aged children that I have found helpful in the past:
- FIFTY-FIFTY. My friend Jennifer Swartz from Childcare Resources gave me this clever idea last summer, and I am anxious to put it to use again. Have your children write out on little pieces of paper activities they like to do, and an EQUAL amount of chores. Encourage activities they can do at home, or that do not cost money. Have them get very creative. These are all put into the jar. When your child says “I’m bored” they must go pick from the bored jar. The rule is that they have to do whatever activity OR chore they draw from the jar. This encourages your children to think creatively BEFORE they tell you they’re bored. I reminded Grace of the jar this week, and she hasn’t said “I’m bored” since!
- WORK IT OUT. I intend to follow through with Marks team chore list. We are pairing up with the kids and rotating teams. The whole idea is to support each other, and rather than assigning each kid certain chores they need to consult as a team as to who does what. They get extra points for helping each other, or helping the OTHER team complete chores. I encourage you to do this in the morning, so they have a sense of accomplishment right away, and the rest of the day is theirs.
- OMMM. I am trying not to over-schedule my kids this year. Aside from a Monarch Fiddle Camp, my children are only going to one other week of camp. My children are so busy during the school year that I want them to remember that there is nothing like a summer day and a lemonade stand, or gazing at puffy clouds. I understand many moms have to work, but if you can encourage a bit of non-doing I believe it helps children learn that not every minute of their lives need to be scheduled. It also encourages creative imagination.
- STAYCATION. There is nothing like Missoula in the summer. Take advantage of all the wonderful downtown activities with your children….most of which are free. Out to lunch, Bonner Park, concerts, Farmers Market, hiking trails, and more. We are so truly blessed.
So, mamas…….what are your ideas? This mama wants to know! Together we can change the when does school start? attitude to I wish it was an endless summer! Wishing you and your families a beautiful and relaxing summer!
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Jen,
Wonderful ideas and reminders of things we may have forgotten. I’m with you, let’s all have some OMM! Fun reading, thank you for your insight.
Jenna
Summer tips from Elke: Put top sheets in the freezer during dinner. Then when you get your kiddos into bed and tuck them in with a cold sheet, they will give you full credit for being magic.
Food. Cold food. Frozen food. My kiddos like frozen veggies, and will eat almost anything if I put it yogurt and freeze it on a stick.
Self-serve jugs of water, several of them in easy to reach locations. with lots of glasses. hydrated kids are happy kids.
Turn on the hose, give up the idea of a part of your yard and let it become a lake, damn, swamp. mud=summer.
And the most important thing, invite every kid in the neighborhood over. All the time. The more kids, the less bickering. The more kids the more mud. The more kids, the better memories. The more kids, the more likely I am to have some time in my own head, reading, gardening, working. I stop and throw food and bandages at them and then they are off again.
I like the chores idea!
Fiddle camp was a blast…thanks for making that happen. Cece is very inspired, and I am very tired (and smiling).
Beth