The kids are home for the summer. The summer is long and hot.
We all know this.
Kids can be a handful at times with all their neediness.
We all know this.
Since all of this is not rocket science, can we stop complaining about our kids being home for the summer?
I’ve been reading so many Facebook posts, tweets, and blogs about parents whining about how they can’t wait for school to start again.
Parents complaining about their kids being home for the summer.
Parents complaining about kids being bored.
Parents complaining about having to entertain their kids.
Parents complaining about having to wake up their kids for camp.
Parents complaining how the kids being home cuts into their time.
Quite frankly, parents complaining about being parents. Sorry school is not open year-round to keep your kids busy. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I think it’s the truth Ruth.
I can count on one hand the number of things I’ve read about parents actually being happy to spend extra time with their kids or parents who are actually happy about taking family vacations.
Are there any parents happy about taking advantage of five-dollar Tuesdays to catch a movie because the kids don’t have to be in bed early?
Are there any parents who are happy about spending a late Sunday evening at the beach?
Anyone? If you’re out there, let your voices be heard!
Did you ever think that if you stop complaining you may actually find some joy in having your kids around for the summer? I am a true believer that kids feed off our energy. If all we’re doing is spewing out negativity with our complaining then it should come as no surprise that our kids are going to be whiney little minions too.
Don’t get me wrong, there have been days this summer when I’ve yelled at octaves higher than an opera singer. I’ve punished and threatened to take things away. There’s been tears. There’s been timeouts. It’s not all ice cream sundaes and smiles around here. But, we manage to enjoy the summer and each other.
There’s been days when trying to figure out how I am going to get all my stuff done becomes more exhausting than actually getting it done. But, it all gets done somehow, even when the kids are lurking 24/7.
Honestly, I enjoy having my kids home for the summer. It means not rushing to get ready for school. It means no drop offs, pick-ups, or half-day nonsense. It means no homework. It means no rushing to get dinner, bath, and bedtime done at a reasonable hour. It means no soccer practices or soccer Saturdays. It means no Friday night Girl Scouts where I’m trying not to draw blood as I help my daughter make crafts. It means no PTA meetings or volunteering.
It means relaxing and having fun!!
Here’s a wild and crazy thought…why not save your whiney pants for when the kids are in school? If you feel the need to complain, it seems like there’s more to work with during the school year. Just sayin’. Better yet, why not throw away your whiney pants for good? Trust me, you’ll thank me later.