The Scars of Summer

I must admit that part of me was dreading summer because keeping the kids busy and entertained is more than a full time job. 

What I have found is that the more easy going I am the more easy going the kids are.    

We really haven't enforced any "summer rules" here -- yet. The closer we get to going back to school the more we will have to start cracking the whip a bit. 

The best part so far is we haven't really had to spend a dime. We have pooled it about 4 days a week and sprinkler it the rest of the week. I have lost track of how many sleepovers we have had. Getting the kids to sleep in for summer hasn't been that hard either. 

I personally am a night owl and nowhere close to a morning person. Well, the boys are following in my footsteps. My youngest and I can sleep till 9:30 or 10 while Ethan is preparing for his teenage years (still years away) and he will sleep until 11. 

It does make me feel that we are super lazy and that the day has just been wasted. Thankfully we can haul butt into our swimsuits and grab our gear and get to the pool in about 15 minutes flat. 

That pretty much rectifies that situation. What really helps is when the kids come downstairs for breakfast already wearing their bathing suits. I admit there have been nights when they have worn them to bed as well. (GASP). 

As I said we have no rules right now. We have emptied 2 bottles of sunscreen so far and half way through our 3rd. The pantry is stocked with easy grab snacks for the pool cooler and koolaid is in the fridge ready to fill the water bottles. (I was finding way too many Caprison wrappers and bags throughout the house so I banned them for summer).  

Talking to other parents at the pool and hearing them say "oh my, I don't think I've bathed the kids in 4 days" makes me feel ok about stating that we are the same way here. 

We are in the pool 5 days a week, there isn't a better smell on kids than chlorine and sunscreen. Well, except for when someone else has taken the chore of bathing them. The sprinklers and slip n slide parties make up for the lack of showers (at least on the water bill). I'm thinking of putting their body wash and shampoo in the garage and just hosing them down outside like little dogs. 

That would kill two birds with one hose. Watering the lawn and bathing the kids. That right there is multi tasking at a whole new level! Our street has finally filled up and everyone is moved in. There are 6 of us almost in a row that have kids, so we pretty much rule the street.

I'm thinking its time for a little street ball. I remember as a kid playing soccer in the street every night with all the neighborhood kids. 

Our parents would sit on the stoops and have their evening cocktails while watching this fabulous sporting event. Occasionally someone would yell out "CAR" and we would evacuate the street so the car could pass then play would resume. I'm sure this is a fond memory for all parents. 

What's great is all of our kids are around the same age so skill levels should be fair! In our downtime (which there is little of) I'm trying to keep my oldest (Ethan 7) reading and doing some math so he doesn't lose all of school skills over summer. I would love it if I could get him to actually pull ahead on his reading but in all honesty thats a pipedream. 

Summer is for fun and decompressing, if he starts 2nd grade still able to read I will be happy and he will be happy. As everything from potty training and sleeping in their own bed, they won't go to college not able to read so why sweat the small stuff. 

In the meantime, he will be sitting on the sidewalk with a popcicle and some sidewalk chalk, smelling of sunscreen, chlorine and bugspray.