#2 needs to be busy as he will just end up on the video games all day. So, we booked him in a camp pretty much per week. He is doing a musical theatre camp this week and next. The following week he has AP Boot Camp to get ready for his two pre-AP classes he has this year. The following week, he will be in Engineering Camp offered through the local university. Trust me, the kid still finds plenty of time for vegging with games because these camps end at about 2:00 each day. He will also have one camp in July (Lego Robotics) and band activities here and there. He is easily my busiest child this summer, totally by my choice.
#1 will continue volunteering at the zoo throughout the summer at least two days a week. He also has agreed to do a swimming activity through the local Rec Center. It involves swimming laps for an hour and a half twice a week. It is in their therapeutic recreation program and involves people of all ages with disabilities. Hopefully, it will lead to him doing their special needs swim team in the fall. They do meets, retreats, and activities together.
#3 and #4 are the least busy with only piano and advanced swimming lessons. They are very unhappy to do any of this, but they need to get out and meet people. If I don't force involvement on #3, she will lay on the couch and read all day, every day. Not a terrible activity, but not active at all and not interactive (social). #4 would rather be at the pool or on video games all day, but he needs some exercise and stimulation. So, I have come up with a minimum of activity that I think they need to do. #3 has also agreed to go help one of our church's youth leaders with her stuff one day (or a portion of a day) each week. I am also challenging her to have one social activity per week (mall, crafts, have someone over to hang out, etc.) She will also go to one week of youth camp in July. #4 went to three days of church camp, which he enjoyed. He also has one week of camp in July at McWane Science Center called "Cuttin' Up", which involves dissecting things.
So, if you add up all the traveling back and forth to take them to activities, you can see where my time is being spent - on the road! I am already tired of it, but the 1-2 hours I have off every day after all of the running around is done, are very cherished. They are not spent at Wal-mart or the mall. They are spent with my feet up and a good book in my hands (or of course, the computer).....well, that and laundry, housework, and sleep....you get the idea. My days are full.
What is suffering is my exercise. I had built up to about 10 miles on the stationary bike (45 minutes). I don't feel really good at all leaving my kids to go to "work-out". I am hoping to find a friend in my neighborhood to walk with me early in the morning. That will help me tremendously. If not, I might have to go work out very early alone. Not my favorite time if I am going alone, but it will work. And, all of this running around leaves little time to snack a lot.
So, our summer is all mapped out with a wonderful trip to the Rockies coming up and a cherished weekend alone with my wonderful husband at a little lodge about 2 hours away. This weekend away from all the kids has not happened in over 10 years, so that is something I am really anticipating.
The blessings of being out of school of course go on and on. No teasing, no bullies, no homework, no extremely early mornings, little stress.....I do love my kids being around more, too. They are people I enjoy being around. I am cherishing this season in our lives where I am still the only driver and the kids are still dependent on me for transportation. Although it is tiring carting them around, this season will be over soon and they will be on their own. I am seeing how quickly that happens.
