It is our last day of "Summer" together, the girls and I. We have been graced with amazing weather this morning and I'm working up one last plan for the day before we begin a MUCH anticipated school year.
I've been mentally ticking off all the valuable lessons I've learned this summer about myself, my parenting acrobatics, and my downfalls.
#1. Summer School = Sanity. You better believe we'll be all signed up for that business next summer.
#2. Routine Activities Rock. Soccer, Gymnastics, Dance, Swim Lessons. They are all, sometimes all at once, important for brainless parenting success. Someone else entertains my child each day, leaving me a second to catch my breath.
#3. Extracurricular Activities are Expensive. I'm sure I spent more money on the three activities in which Shelby participated than I would have if she'd attended preschool for two months. Result? Toddler's exposure to variety of experiences. Crazy frazzled mommy.
#4. Single Parenting Should Not Be Accomplished In An Isolation Chamber. When your husband disappears and you opt of summer school, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, go it alone. Seek help, seek colleagues, seek assistants (in the form of babysitters), plan playdates. Any mom who tells you she loves her children so much she can't get enough of them is full of S&$%! We all need a break from each other. We all need a break.
#5. Go Outside. Personally, I find I can busy myself around and in my house for an entire day. That is, if it doesn't include two frustrated, screaming toddlers. I like my music, my writing, my books, my craft projects, movies, etc. The outdoors to my children is like the water to a fish. They literally dry up and shriek uncontrollably when they cannot go outside.
#6. Make routine purchases. Movies, activity books, art supplies, toys, cooking ingredients. These are all tools for survival. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until the last month. But activity workbooks, bubbles, and fingerpaints are on my weekly shopping list.
Is there anything I've missed on this list?
I've been mentally ticking off all the valuable lessons I've learned this summer about myself, my parenting acrobatics, and my downfalls.
#1. Summer School = Sanity. You better believe we'll be all signed up for that business next summer.
#2. Routine Activities Rock. Soccer, Gymnastics, Dance, Swim Lessons. They are all, sometimes all at once, important for brainless parenting success. Someone else entertains my child each day, leaving me a second to catch my breath.
#3. Extracurricular Activities are Expensive. I'm sure I spent more money on the three activities in which Shelby participated than I would have if she'd attended preschool for two months. Result? Toddler's exposure to variety of experiences. Crazy frazzled mommy.
#4. Single Parenting Should Not Be Accomplished In An Isolation Chamber. When your husband disappears and you opt of summer school, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, go it alone. Seek help, seek colleagues, seek assistants (in the form of babysitters), plan playdates. Any mom who tells you she loves her children so much she can't get enough of them is full of S&$%! We all need a break from each other. We all need a break.
#5. Go Outside. Personally, I find I can busy myself around and in my house for an entire day. That is, if it doesn't include two frustrated, screaming toddlers. I like my music, my writing, my books, my craft projects, movies, etc. The outdoors to my children is like the water to a fish. They literally dry up and shriek uncontrollably when they cannot go outside.
#6. Make routine purchases. Movies, activity books, art supplies, toys, cooking ingredients. These are all tools for survival. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this until the last month. But activity workbooks, bubbles, and fingerpaints are on my weekly shopping list.
Is there anything I've missed on this list?
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