Halfway there
Sara is out of town (Las Vegas) for this, the 8th week of summer break. It's just me and the kids. For the whole week. No camps. No friends or playdates. It started off pretty rough, I was anxious and the kids were angry, but yesterday went great and today might have been even better. In fact, despite my recent lamentations at the ephemeral nature of their innocence, I caught myself reveling in moments each day when I witnessed my kids "acting like kids again"
Monday: After dropping the Sara off at the airport I came home and while having an anxiety attack in bed Fiona and Walter got up ridiculously early and started assaulting each other leading me to decree "no switch for today" which... I immediately regretted, but stuck to, and it worked. We went to the Building museum, which the kids were sure they were going to hate. We wound up spending about three hours there and I had to drag them out. The biggest chunk of time was spent by them working on a lego structure together. (The exhibit was famous world buildings in legos) There was also a cool Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and another on children's stories. We got some healthy-ish stuff from south block, went to the pool and had beans and rice for dinner. Fiona organized her room, we started reading the Phantom Tollbooth, and maybe best of all, the kids both journaled about their day before they went to bed.
Tuesday: We went to Hillwood Gardens. I was a little worried they would be bored, but they were just in awe of the estate, the house, and the Japanese gardens in particular. (They were also into the peculiarities like the movie theater, dumb waiter, and old timey elevator) I made them a healthy lunch, we hit the pool, went to a cancelled soccer practice and then played at at playground, which they ASKED to do.... which they NEVER DO ANYMORE.
I turn 50 in a month.
Monday: After dropping the Sara off at the airport I came home and while having an anxiety attack in bed Fiona and Walter got up ridiculously early and started assaulting each other leading me to decree "no switch for today" which... I immediately regretted, but stuck to, and it worked. We went to the Building museum, which the kids were sure they were going to hate. We wound up spending about three hours there and I had to drag them out. The biggest chunk of time was spent by them working on a lego structure together. (The exhibit was famous world buildings in legos) There was also a cool Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and another on children's stories. We got some healthy-ish stuff from south block, went to the pool and had beans and rice for dinner. Fiona organized her room, we started reading the Phantom Tollbooth, and maybe best of all, the kids both journaled about their day before they went to bed.
Tuesday: We went to Hillwood Gardens. I was a little worried they would be bored, but they were just in awe of the estate, the house, and the Japanese gardens in particular. (They were also into the peculiarities like the movie theater, dumb waiter, and old timey elevator) I made them a healthy lunch, we hit the pool, went to a cancelled soccer practice and then played at at playground, which they ASKED to do.... which they NEVER DO ANYMORE.
I turn 50 in a month.