Summer Retraining

The kids have been out of school for 3 days now, and so far it seems things are going fairly well. I know from past experience that it takes them (and me!) about a week to get into a summer routine. They have to remember to get their own breakfast and to try to keep interruptions with my work to a minimum. The hardest adjustment so far has been reminding DD that she can't hop on the computer anytime that I walk away from it. Just because I've gotten up to get a Pepsi from the refrigerator doesn't mean that she can get on to check her email "real quick!" lol But I also have to remember that one of the reasons I work from home is so that I can be here for them -- so they can talk to me when they need to, ask questions, give advice (yes, at 14, they do ask for my advice once in a great rare while!), and most importantly, just to listen. It's a fine line, though, between being available when needed and being available just because they are bored or want me to go to the library NOW instead of in an hour when I'm done with work.

It looks like we are on a pace to hit the library twice a week. DD can't seem to read enough these last few weeks, and DS is interested in trying the teen reading club this summer too. Not that the chance to win an iPod or a Wii is an incentive or anything! haha Anyhow, I may also have to alter my shopping habits. We've usually gone through 3 gallons of milk a week but are into our 4th gallon already since I went to the store 5 days ago. I will mix up some Kool-Aid and lemonade at lunch today, and hopefully that will help slow the milk consumption. I can't really complain because my kids don't drink pop or a ton of Kool-Aid-type drinks, but shesh! At this rate it really would be cheaper to buy a dairy cow!

I'm also looking forward to not having to drive every day now that I'm not taking the kids back and forth to school. That will also take some retraining with the kids, in that we're not going to go to the store today because they think we have to have something or to get out of the house because they're bored. We have activities on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so those will be our main running-around days. This may actually be the hardest adjustment for all of us!

The kids have youth camp next week, and then we'll probably have a few more days of "retraining" before settling in for the rest of the season. I'm hoping this will be a time of resting and relaxing and that by the time school starts we are recharged for this thing called high school!