Back To Reality

Summer is not yet officially over, however, two of my three children have returned to school and in our house, that means summer is over.  No more sleeping in.  No more spontaneous "Let's go get some ice cream!"  No more packing up the cooler and loading the bag with towels and heading to the pool.  Okay, I admit it, I won't miss packing up the cooler and loading the bag with towels.  That got to be a bit of a pain.  But I will miss the pool.  Soaking up some warm vitamin D, throwing splash bombs at my kids and gossiping visiting with friends.  No more ignoring how late it's getting to be and letting the kids stay up later than they should.

No.  Now it's all about schedules and homework and alarm clocks and packing lunches (I guess I'm still putting food in a cooler after all.  Darn it.).  In reality, I know kids need the structure, the ability to rely on certain things happening on certain days and knowing what to expect next and how to prepare for activities in life.  The "experts" say that structure makes a child feel safer too.  Admittedly, I like a schedule and a routine myself.  I'm not that spontaneous.  But I do enjoy the freedom to call the shots in the summer.

I'm just glad that I will now be able to get a few things done around the house.  It seems that no matter what I would set out to do all summer long, there would always be an interruption of someone needing something, someone doing someone wrong, or someone was BORED!  There were days I got nothing accomplished - or so it seemed.  My mother warns me that someday my house will be very, very quiet.  I know.  I know.  But at least I will be able to use the bathroom in peace!