Although this winter wasn’t terribly snowy or cold, it was L-O-N-G. Then came Spring, rainy and confused. April showers brought…May showers. Finally June arrived and with it the sun and heat. Hallelujah! Flowers are blooming, jackets can be left at home, and toe nails need to be polished.
As a teacher, the arrival of June also brings the opportunity for a change of pace. I get to transition into Summer Mode Mom and focus more on my family and myself.
Summer Mode Mom has more responsibilities at home, but now that my boys are older, almost four and eight, we are past naps, diapers, and strollers. This feels like freedom after seven summers of lugging everything except the kitchen sink every time we left the house! We can also hop in the car at 3:30 p.m. and go to the beach or park if we want; no longer having to worry about disrupting dinner/bedtime schedules. Or we can have ice cream for dinner once and a while without feeling guilty.
I’m blessed that my kids find going to the local libraries as much fun as the parks, and that they are still at a point that I can hide and control the iPads. The kids have been known to watch TV all day if my husband is home and in charge. For that reason, my oldest and I make a mock schedule for the day. Now that he’s finished with first grade, he understands and appreciates how time works, so he gets to help decided the order and timing of the day. We do our reading and other academic work, because after all, I was a teacher first and no one knows better than me how summer slide happens in a blink of an eye.
Summer Mode Mom gives us permission to slow down, enjoy the outdoors more, and just play. My boys can often be found on their swings as early as 8:00 a.m., running through the sprinklers by 11:00 a.m., reading at 3:00 p.m. and having a dance party to “High Hopes” while I’m cooking dinner. While it’s NEVER quiet or calm, this Summer Mode Mom is grateful for the change of pace and opportunity to embrace the chaos.
