Mom Rant

Yesterday was the first day of the first full week of summer break.  I want to take issue with that "b" word just so you know.  Break for whom?  From what?

There's another word already on my radar.  It's a "b" word too...bored.  When I came home from a long day at work after a mostly sleepless night before, I could tell that my two were restless.  I tried to steal a quick nap out of complete necessity.  Lily woke me twice.  The first time to ask me what our evening plans were and then to ask what was for dinner.  My somewhat guilty response to her first question was, "no plans."  The second question reminded me that I had to make a grocery run before I could serve them real food.  She said chicken and he said pasta. Here we go!

My only question to her was, "Are you! already!! bored!!!!?"  I was rather shocked that she answered me affirmatively.  It was a bold move.  Pay attention to that punctuation, it's important.  It reads more like "Are you absolutely (expletive) kidding me that you are (expletive) bored already?" Instead of, "Oh no please don't tell me that you have too much free time and too little stimulation.  I'm such a bad mom.  Let me get out my bag of tricks to make sure that you can prove to Facebook and Instagram that you have had the best summer ever!"

Seriously, what I wouldn't give for twelve weeks free and clear.  I just know that "b" word would so never cross my lips.  But what's the crime in being a little bored anyway?  Idleness is not the enemy. Down time is essential to restore reserves and after the weekend we had, I thought we could all use a little restoration.  The beauty of unstructured time is that it inspires creativity - it calls children to tap into their own trick bags - only I'm not sure the children of today have any. I am so close to going on a rant about when I was a kid, but I don't have time because today is my first day of summer break. I get two each week oh goody! Only it's not really a break.  Capisce?  I still have to figure out a way to get all my stuff done and in warp speed so that then I can be available to enrich and entertain my children. I'm already exhausted!