I always knew that FOR ME the best way to structure my life was to center being home with my kids. I had a childhood at home with my mom and brothers, long lovely summers hanging out with friends and lounging by the pool-- and I knew that this was how I wanted to raise my own kids. It has been a delight and privilege to be home with them all before they were school-age, to be there when the dismissal bell rings with fresh baked cookies, and to spend our summers home together.
BUT ALSO.
I sort of dread the end of the school year.
Perhaps because I am coming off 2 or 3 weeks where my school is done but the kids still go every day (and this is SO SWEET-- I cannot overstate that), summer seems VERY DAUNTING at the beginning of June. Everyone is out on June 10th **gulp** (except Harry, who came home over the weekend).
Last summer, I taught a class in the morning for 6 weeks, and Minnie went to a camp at her preschool, but this was not fun, if I am being honest. We had to rush swim lessons at night, and the night swim lesson crowd is the quality time parenting crowd. I am a quantity time parent, meaning I am not interested in playing in the water with my kid at the pool. In fact, I bring my kids to the pool to not hang out with them.
So. Ok. This summer:
Harry is managing the pool and hopes to work a ton because he would like to pay out of pocket for a winterim or summer class to pad his GPA and make sure he keeps those academic scholarships without any worries.
Jack is working at the pool, working a little bit at the swim school he teaches at during the school year, and has a Madison parks golf pass, so he plans to be life guarding and golfing around the clock, with a brief trip to Des Moines, Iowa, to compete in the National Speech and Debate Tournament (this is VERY COOL and we are so proud!). He plans to do the all-city dive league again, meaning dual meets on Friday nights and the all-city tourney in July, plus morning practice.
Cooper will dive on campus every week day, but there is a bit of uncertainty with scheduling right now, so I am unable to hammer out my car pool, which is a teeny bit stressful. He also has swimming and diving team practices at our summer pool for the all-city league every morning. Plus also trips to Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; and maybe hopefully if he qualifies Mission Viejo, CA. He may not be home for the actual all-city meet, but he plans to compete in dual swim and dive meets all summer. I am really excited to see him swim again because he's really good at it. He and Dorothy will be able to get themselves to the pool in the morning for swim and dive practice.
Dorothy is taking, um, 15 hours of dance class every week. She has a strength class, 2 hip hop tech classes, 2 hip hop choreo classes, a tap class, a jazz tech class, a jazz choreo class, 2 ballet classes, a pre-pointe class, a hip hop drills class, a contemporary combos class, a contemporary improv class, and a leaps and turn class. Plus a few private lessons. That seems like too much when I list it all out, actually. Plus swimming and diving in the mornings and competing on both teams all summer. She also bought the most ridiculous string bikini and plans to hang out at the pool when she is not dancing. Her 3 BFFs all belong to different private pools, so the girls imagine a summer of pool hopping when Dorothy is not at the dance studio-- so, um, Friday mornings through about 3pm when it's dive meets time?
Minnie has 10 am swim lessons Monday-Thursday. And! She is doing a preschool hip hop camp for 3 hours one morning in July. THAT IS ALL. We plan to visit lots of parks, splash pads and museums, plus spend lots of time at the pool. I might sign her up for tennis lessons after swim because that's a great way to kill an hour and also very cute.
We are kicking things off with Ben and Coop flying to Charlotte for AAU Red-White-Blue nationals and the rest of us enjoying opening weekend at the poooooooooool. Can't wait!
Do you have a Little Words Project by you? If you do, GO TO THERE-- so fun! (bonus if you can hit up a Sephora with two very expensive little friends).
Ahhhhhh there is nothing more soothing and satisfying than a summer that is All Planned. I found this very pleasing to read, although I am purposely not thinking about any of your driving logistics lalala. Anyway, great work! And congrats to Jack on Nationals! That is super exciting.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I was also a Quantity Time mom. (it was easy for me as, um, I didn't exactly have a job). But I really loved it too.
ReplyDeleteDorothy's schedule! But it sounds like girl is living her best life! Pools and diving and dance - it's all her jam! I mean, that's a lot of dance. But there's something great about your kids just doing what they love (and by "your" I mean in general, but yours in particular too).
Your kids are LIVING THE LIFE. I cannot imagine being the mom that has to manage all of that, but we already know you are not human and are actually superwoman with supernatural powers so none of this is surprising me.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Suzanne. I found this so fun to read, while also realizing I would seriously bury my head in the sand if I was trying to manage this myself.
That is a lot of moving parts but I know you will figure it out. This is Will’s last summer in daycare. Next year he will join Paul at the summer care program at their elementary school. It’s an amazing program and Paul loved going. But this year he is doing 2 camps at our church. It complicated things a bit as the before care for camps doesn’t open until 7:30 which is a bit late for us… 7 am is ideal with our early starts to our work days. But we will figure it out and it’s worth it to add some novelty/variety to his schedule.
ReplyDeleteUmm. Dorothy and Cooper's schedules sound like full-time jobs! I'm so impressed by how you're able to organize everyone's activities while also honoring all of their strengths and interests.
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