During the summer months for what I believe is a large majority of us, there are some slight modifications which occur to our parenting style. Almost without our noticing. Until we finally do notice, and then we go, “oh yeah… it’s summer!” Today I am going to share a few of those truths that are quite evident in my family’s summer months in an effort to perhaps help you to feel like you are part of a larger parenting party and not flying solo on some of these things.
Bath Time Is Optional
In between all of the almost daily swimming and water play our family does it gets a little “murky” for me as I try to remember the last time my children actually bathed or washed their hair. Last night as I was brushing the wet snarls out of my daughter’s hair after a successful trampoline splash session I asked her when she had last washed her hair and she couldn’t remember either. Wow that is some parenting there! I guess we will just shoot for doing it Saturday night so she doesn’t show up as the stinky kid to church on Sunday. Oh, and especially because of this reason…
TV Viewing Gets A Little Lax
During the school year for our family TV is only viewed after homework is done for a short time before it’s time to hit the bath. Maybe this one would be better if I could remember when my children last bathed, but yesterday as I was sitting on the couch reading a book while my daughter watched My Little Pony I asked her how long she had been watching? Time gets a little iffy with that one since she can’t read clocks yet, but she answered and told me she had been watching for like a 100 hours. Um, maybe it is time for some water play….
I Come Prepared To The Library With Apologies
It is so hot in Southern Az that as parents we spend a lot of time planning out any and all activities centered around locations with AC. So when we have been watching My Little Pony for like 100 hours, sometimes I will switch off the TV and suggest we all head to the library. Sure we will spend 10 or 15 minutes of our time there looking for books, but then my youngest child will just have to make a bus out of the little chairs and then she will have to invite other children to play in her bus and then there are whole loads of children riding that bus and making more noise than they probably should at a library.
This is why I come prepared with apologies when the librarian looks over at us, but silently I am thinking to myself it’s kind of like my child is providing a public service to loads of other hot and sweaty parents who just wanted to turn off Sophia the First before their child had watched for 100 hours straight.
Those Summer Nights
As parents we envision summer will be full of magical nights with our children where we sit out late catching fireflies or spend time lying on the trampoline counting the stars. The reality is that since my kids know it is summer they feel entitled to stay up later. And later. And later. Until I am left feeling like this when they all finally go to bed.
There Is Such A Thing As Too Much Togetherness
I have 4 kids. If I tried to keep them all busy with summer camps, we would be broke. And since I work from home or wherever there is WiFi we end up spending a lot of time together. And mostly my kids get along. Until they don’t, and when they don’t I am forced to get out caution tape and cordon of no crossing lines that they are no longer allowed to cross in order to give one other some space. It happens….
If this sounds like your summer, hang in there! You’ve got this, and remember to thank your child’s teacher when you send them back to school in the Fall!
Love,
Jen
