I'm sitting in my living room (NOT on my deck, where I would like to be) because it is 53 degrees outside at 3:45 in the afternoon in June. At least it isn't raining like it was all day yesterday. The kids were ON me all day long. They are happy school is out, but they are still in the keep-busy-doing-something-productive-every-second-of-the-day mode so they were driving me nuts. Not that they were bad or anything, just anxious to see what I had planned for them next. The answer: Nothing! I got them a new badminton set, a new volleyball, jai alai throwing thingys, a ring toss game and I have a million ideas for what they can do OUTSIDE, but I didn't have anything planned for inside. We made some chocolate chip cookies. I should say, we planned to make them, but after they drove me nuts in the kitchen for 20 minutes to the point that I was having difficulty thinking enough to double a recipe, I sent them downstairs to watch Get Smart for the second time (that day) while I made the cookies.
Kira is so happy to be out of school that she hums incessantly and breaks into operatic song at the slightest provocation. It's really loud.
Sam is so happy to be out of school that he thinks of long, painful, pointless, car-related "jokes" to tell us in a monotone mumble. Not loud enough! Speak up, Sonny! Why do teenagers (and almost teenagers) mumble like that?
I'm happy they are home, but this transition time is tough. It will take us a few weeks to get into the summer groove and until then we will be on each other's nerves. It would help a lot of they could be outside. And I mean every minute. I'm prepared for that. I have gallons of mosquito spray, the yard is junked up with toys and activities, and this year they can even ride their bikes to the nearest neighbor's house with kids their age. But they can't do any of that if it is 40 degrees and pouring rain.
Send 'em outside.
ReplyDeleteIt won't hurt 'em. Maybe it'll put hair on their chests. (as my dad always says)