Ahhh, summer…those lazy days of hammock-dwelling, lemonade-drinking, softball-watching bliss.
Yeah, right! J For parents with kids in public school, summer means the kids are suddenly home, all day every day. I love my children immensely, but I also love peace and quiet. And at times, June through August seems like an endless parade of whines (“I’m bored!”), dines (“Can I have a snack?”) and lines (“I want to ride the Screaming Eagle again, mom!”). It’s enough to make me wish for winter in the Northeast--and live in the Southwest!
So what’s a mom to do? In the interest of saving my sanity, I’ve gleaned some ideas about finding a few quiet moments amidst the chaos. Read on, fellow moms, and be encouraged…summer only lasts about ten weeks now—remember, our parents had to deal with TWELVE! :)
Sheila Wray Gregorie, author of To Love, Honor and Vacuum: When you feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother, encourages moms to teach their children about quiet time. She notes, “You may need to train your kids to have downtime in the afternoons, even if they don’t nap anymore. We made our kids stay in their rooms for an hour after lunch just to rest, even if it was just playing with puzzles, or drawing, or reading books. That was mommy time, and I needed it. When we plan for those kinds of times, kids actually appreciate it. They like having order in their lives. So don’t be afraid to take a little time to yourself. You need it, too.”
I’ve discovered that the Internet is a great source for some great quiet activities. (What did I ever do before the World Wide Web?!) Here are my favorite sites;
· Zoom (PBS Show)—has great art, kitchen and science-related activities.
· Family Fun—love the magazine, love the site!
· Amazing Moms—recipes, crafts and more.
And finally, Karol Ladd, author of many books (including A Positive Plan for Creating More Fun, Less Whining), has these ideas:
· Kite Adventures
Go for a kite-flying adventure, and be sure to take the camera. It's more fun with the whole family! After you enjoy flying kites, return home to create a colorful construction paper kite. You may even want to put a picture of your kite-flying adventure on your newly constructed craft kite. Top off the day by watching Mary Poppins.
· Clouds
Take a bedroll and pillows outside, and lie down and look up. Watch the clouds and point out figures and pictures that you see in them. After a while you may want to come inside and make a cloud picture using blue construction paper, white chalk, or cotton balls and glue.
· Sidewalk Chalk
Never underestimate the fun of sidewalk chalk for kids of any age. This inexpensive activity offers myriad ideas for creativity. Hopscotch, foursquare, artistic masterpieces, and human-sized tic-tac-toe are just a few of the things you can do with the just a little chalk on a nice summer evening.
Do you have your own ideas? Put them in a comment, and share your creativity with your fellow moms.
