At first, having babies felt like a year-round job, no distinct seasonal changes. If anything, summers began to feel like more work. No more nursery school, hotter weather for outings, and mommy in the water for parent/child swimming lessons, an experience that should be fun but often feels like labor instead.
I didn't expect this summer to be different. I didn't plan for it. But my children are more independent than they've ever been (their independence levels are pretty similar in a number of ways) and I'm sure that's a big part of it.
Another part of the equation might be attitude. My attitude. Whatever the cause, it's great.
Ellie's in summer school, but Ada's not. I'm not sweating getting Ellie to school on time. I'm not sweating much of anything, actually, other than the suddenly oppressive heat. We're going to the pool frequently, and the temperature seems to drop 20 degrees around all that water.
Ada's loving swimming lessons. Ellie's loving summer school. Both girls are loving our relaxing family evenings riding trikes around the block, taking a family nature walk, or going for a drive in the car and just maybe getting an ice cream or shaved ice as a special treat.
It's . . . idyllic.
Of course, there are still times we need to be places on a schedule. Like school, swimming lessons, gymnastics, church. Ada moves slower than molasses in December lately, and Ellie actually moves backwards when I try to hurry her along. (When we're running late she might take off her clothes and shoes, for example, as I'm trying to chivvy the girls out the door and into the car.)
I assure you that this isn't because I'm giving my children drugs.
So: not perfect, but pretty good.
No comments:
Post a Comment