Downtime

For the past month, since my kids got out of school I have been making lists. Lists of all the things I think the kids and I need to accomplish during this summer. The office needs to be cleaned out. The kids need to learn some basic math facts I feel they didn't learn last year. They all want to learn about other subjects like presidents, World War II, and Egyptians. We want to redo the downstairs bathroom and I would love for the kids to learn some Bible verses. Chores need to be done daily and the house needs to be ready for family visits. There are doctors appointments for checkups and I'm requiring the kids to read a certain number of books. This is exhausting. Not to mention the fact that summer is supposed to be fun so we need to schedule in some beach and lots of playtime. Why did I think all this had to be done? Statistics say that kids lose more than 2 months of knowledge over the summer and start school the following year in the hole. I rarely have time during the school year to teach them as much as I'd like about the Bible or the various subjects they want to learn about. I'd like the kids to help clean out some of the areas they caused to be a mess in the first place. But after 4 weeks of this pace I'm losing my mind and the kids are not really any closer to meeting some of my goals. And there is the problem: my goals.


We will always hear that we need to do more for our kids. We should have taught them more, made them read more, and so and so's kids are way ahead of yours in 50 different areas. I'm beginning to have this sneaking suspicion though that adults with their statistics and should haves are gumming up the works!! Left to their own devices and not over scheduled, my kids have created a roller coaster out of K'nex, learned to swim like fish, and really importantly, learned how to relax and just enjoy each others' company. Maybe my lists and I need to go jump in a lake. Maybe I'm the only over achiever mom out there, making lists, and plans for their children's entire summer, but I seriously doubt it. I know too many stressed out moms. Let's make a pact, moms....let's chill out and see what happens. Let's have fun and if we find out after a month that our kids have forgotten how to spell their names, we'll do something about it then. I think in this day and time there is something to be said for learning how to relax. School will come around again soon enough and we need to be ready, but I think today the list can go in the trash. What do you think?

I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay...wastin' time. ~ Otis Redding