Natalie Whatley

I breathed a huge sigh of relief on Friday, just before sheer panic set in. Summer is here, and the kids are out of school.  The shackles made up of tight schedules and homework have been removed, but there’s a dark side to this freedom. I’ll have no more than a total of three minutes daytime peace until late August. Do the math. It works out to mere seconds per day. Calgon’s not strong enough to take me away.  I may need pharmaceutical help to get through.

                Although I spend much of May dreaming of days not filled with endless to-do lists, I’m reminded each summer that in my world, inactivity breeds much discontent. That’s where the Whatley Entertainment Committee comes in. There are three sitting members:  Chairman, me; vice-chairman, myself; and secretary, I. Honestly, the meetings are a waste of time, and I frequently get the feeling I’m talking to myself. The committee is considering dissolution since pleasing  a 9, 11, and 15 year-old, even part of the time, has become a monumental task.  The members have grown weary from trying, but I’ll share some of what has worked in the past.   

Phase one: If you’re a stay-at-home mom, the absolute first thing you must do each day, is get out of bed before the kids. You need a few quiet moments to plot and plan… sanity is not maintained while flying by the seat of one’s pants. Choose some goals for the day, and prioritize. Have some breakfast, and even take a shower before donning the referee shirt and whistle. Years of in-the-lab scientific study have shown this improves outlook and bickering stamina by a whopping 98.6%. This strategy alone has kept me from being a resident of the psych ward.  

Phase two: Allow the kids to sleep until at least ten. (Sometimes later, depending on mood, and state of mental health on the given day) This approach works well, and removes some of the time potentially spent entertaining. Have them eat a hearty breakfast when they arise as this will aid in executing phase three.

                Phase three: Set up some summertime fun in the backyard with a bucket full of water balloons, water guns, paint, chalk, or whatever your little ones enjoy. If you have a wooden fence, provide buckets of water and paintbrushes so they can “paint” the fence. Slather on the sunscreen, and get them all set- up outside.  Don’t forget a cooler with drinks and snacks.  Create a “dry” zone for towels and a change of clothes. Hang around for a few minutes and appear to involve yourself in the frivolities. Then, quietly slip back inside for a “potty break”, absent-mindedly lock the doors (out of habit, of course), and find some earphones. Be sure the volume is louder than the sound of knocks on the door.  

 Get going immediately. Paint your toe-nails, finish that book or one of my personal favorites, just sit and stare at a wall. Be strong, and stay focused on the task at hand. Resist the urge to look outside.

All kidding aside, summer is great for spending quality time with children.  I have three I’ll loan out if anyone needs proof.

© 2008 Natalie Whatley

Tags: kids, summer