One half of the moms are up tight and panic stricken while the other half is tickled pink. Summer is here and there is nothing you can do about it.
On the spectrum, there are two kinds of Summer moms. Those who breath a heavy sigh of relief that the strict school calendar and end of year May mayhem is behind them. Others are scrambling and anxious about the “Mayhem” that is to come.
I give a strong salute to Summer. I welcome the sunny season. Shoot, I usually throw a backyard ticker tape parade for a large gang of teenagers but the teen queens SWEET 16th almost killed us! (this is the link to the PG version I blogged about).
Chicken Fry and I are still not over that muggy August night. We were like two deer in the head lights only we were the only two adult chaperones to approx 175 teenagers in our home. Note: A teen party can spread like a California wild fire with a strong tail wind.
Over the last several years I have learned to embrace the ever constant teenage slop. The Linus dust cloud following the kids from room to room just comes with the territory. I’m convinced that no-one will ever have a clean organized life until their children leave the premises.
But again, I’m so cool with it. I don’t even bark at the daily pillow and blanket forts. The cereal bowls with dried coco Krispies and God only knows how long it’s be under the couch doesn’t even phase me. The influx of wet bathing suits and pool towels ON THE FLOOR is barley a noticeable issue. All of the food wrappers that never quite make it to trash are extra bend and snaps for a mom like me! The teen queens bathroom is basically a dead space that I choose to ignore until September. I can’t even look at the beauty filled counter spread full of make up and girl stuff. Who cares…let it be!
I say, “let the Summer games begin.”
Bring it on with your bad self Summer time. I’m ready for ya. My mind is wrapped around it tight.
My pantry is locked and loaded. I’m stocked up with paper towels, bathroom tissue, garbage bags, paper plates and cups because I’m preparing for an army. I have bug spray, popsicles, sunscreen, popcorn and lemonade standing by.
All moms hear this. All it takes is one teen wolf pack to ascend and deplete all that you have. In one fell swoop like a pack of wild dogs, ALL of the fruit in the frig will be gone! All of it. Your fully organized and stocked pantries will be dischelved in seconds. Your chips, the deli meat, the snacks…gone…forever lost to a blind militia teen attack.
But it’s all good…my mindset is to breathe and let her rip!
I have back up…
Listen up mom’s Tom Thumb grocery has delivery. If you don’t live in Coppell, Texas I suggest you find out what grocery stores deliver. This will save you tons of money and time gunning to the store to feed a bunch of ravenous monsters.
Now that I think about it…this year I have a teen driver without a REAL JOB! She can do the heavy lifting this Summer. She can be my little errand boy. Summer is looking up y’all!
In fact, if you need a baby sitter or a grocery runner… she’s sooooo totally available and I will pimp out some of her friends too.
If you are like me and you also have a” job job” Summer life can be tricky.
If you work from home and don’t have dedicated child care for your active kiddo’s…here are a few MoM pointers.
- Wake up early! This is NOT what you want to hear. Believe me I know. It’s Summer and you want to sleep in BUT… NOTHING will get accomplished or go as planned if you do. Wake up an hour or two before the kids get up. Make this your quite office /computer work time. Enjoy your coffee in peace with no questions or “Mom, can I’s”.
- If you are a full time stay at home mom, this is for you too! Make this time your workout or quiet prayer and devotional time. Go for a sunrise run! You will come to cherish the stillness of your sleeping peaceful abode.
- Start a load of laundry first thing.
- When the kids are just waking up and still in sleepy couch mode, make important phone calls.
- If your job is flex, give yourself at least three hours of dedicated kid play time a day. Check the local water parks, community centers, library story times and check the local dollar movie theatre for activities.
- If you belong to a country club plan an outing once a week to get everyone out of the house. If you have a weekly house keeper this is a good day to schedule him or her to clean!
- Share with friends. Take one or two kids and host them for a few days then switch. A tag team cycle will guarantee you at least two days of full freedom to recoup, run errands or work.
Insert, record player scratch stop. I do have my limits with the teens. I draw the line on the god awful explicit rap music. I won’t stand for it. I can handle kids laughing at all hours of the night, abusing my furniture and messing up my chi….but their music has got to go. Not on my watch.
What about you? Are you packing your teens up for camp? Are you scheduled for water parks and vacation bible school? Are you skipping town with your kids for a few weeks.
I, Angi Abercrombie, Summer mom lover, wish you a healthy happy two and half months. God Speed!
Angi
