How did it get to be Friday already? The summer is 1/11th over. I'm not sure right now if that makes me happy or sad. Ask me at bedtime.
We had a fun week. If *I* was a kid, I would think it was fun anyway. We went out for pizza and ice cream, we saw Night at the Museum (10 thumbs up on that), we picked strawberries, we made chocolate fondue and homemade strawberry ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. We went bowling*. They've ridden bikes and scooters and had playdates and watched movies and hung out in their pajamas.
Awesome, right? Unless you are one of my kids, who shall remain nameless (but it rhymes with gemGuy). Nothing is right. I didn't let him run in the fountain after the movie. I didn't let him get candy at the movie. (This is the kid who had $700 of dental work done last week. HELL NO, you are not getting candy.) I wouldn't buy him a drink at the bowling alley. He didn't like picking strawberries. (Because every. single. time. he picked up his little container, he spilled it. How it that possible? Even Little One didn't have that problem.)
He has said no less than 300 times this week that he's BORED. There's NOTHING TO DO. I'm NOT HAVING A FUN SUMMER.
It makes my head explode. I am working my ass off trying to make memories and have fun and do things you can't do when school is in session, and I think I've done a pretty good job of it, but someone is never happy. Makes me want to give up trying and just park them in front of SpongeBob and call it a day, you know?
But I keep reminding myself, 300 times a day, if necessary, that he WILL remember the fun. Not the candy he didn't get. Or the video games I wouldn't give him a quarter for. Or the playdates I couldn't call because it was oh, 8 o'clock at night.
He WILL remember the strawberry picking and the fact that Little One, who could barely push the bowling ball hard enough to get it down the lane BEAT us at bowling. (I know!) The dinners outside on the picnic table and the miles he has clocked on his scooter in the gorgeous summer breeze. (And if he DOESN'T remember? I have a gazillion pictures, and I will FORCE him to remember.)
I just hope that *I* remember that part too. And not the whining and the crying and the declarations of boredom that make me want to scream and find a full-time paying job.
I'm adopting Susan's mantra, Best Summer Ever. Even if I have to say it through gritted teeth. And even if it kills us.
How is your summer going?
* If you haven't already done this, check out Kids Bowl Free. If there is a participating alley near you, you can sign your kids up and get free coupons for them to bowl all summer long. Like so many coupons, you couldn't STAND to bowl that much. Or I couldn't anyway, because of all the damn vending machines and video games at the bowling alley.
6 comments:
Hehe! Sounds like my week too. Particularly my yesterday. I feel for you. I too am determined to make this the best summer ever. If it kills me :)
Yes, so familiar. Everything we do is boring, and dumb. But they will remember the good stuff. I think about my own memories, and it is all good- I really don't remember feeling grouchy and cranky, although my mom might!
My dad used to say "You WILL have fun, whether you like it or not!" He was only 1/2 kidding. :)
Ugh. I AM sorry. I sympathize, too, even though mine are 4 and 9 months.
And yes, they'll remember. (And they might even apologize one day!)
This is *totally* HRH. Because apparently playdates, and going to see UP, and, and, and aren't good enough for him either. Then our dog got run over and he hasn't said "I'm not having a good summer" since.
You're welcome to try telling gemGuy that...
Your unnamed protagonist sounds a lot like my Sam. It drives me crazy.
Oh, I had an afternoon like that with the 4 year old. NOTHING was right. Much-awaited toy malfunctioned. Not enough batteries for another toy. Not the right Band-aid for his bugbite. Whine, whine, whine. I felt like Parenting FAIL! And I didn't even do any of the super-cool things you did with your kids.
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