Summer Days

Wow, a month since my last post. This summer keeps us busy. I just haven't had time to blog. Kristin's gotten to go bowling, camp out back overnight, swim, have lots of playdates at the park...we've just been busy with summer. I'm having a garage sale Saturday and I've been busy getting things ready for that.

I will be kind of glad when summer is over, I know we are to enjoy these moments when they are young, it's fleeting and goes by too fast, people say. I appreciate that, but it is difficult trying to keep this child busy all day. When she doesn't have anything to do, she sits there complaining there's nothing to do. I'll tell her to play with her toys, go outside and play, do her computer games, anything, but she will just sit there and sigh.. "no, I just don't know what to do." And then she doesn't do anything. For awhile, I tried to help her find something to do, but after awhile, I'd give up. Use your imagination, find something to do and entertain yourself. It's hard to do at age 5, I understand that.

I read Obama's kids keep busy. One of them has soccer, dance, drama, piano and tennis and the other girl has gymnastics, tap, piano and tennis.

If you think about that, it really gives the kid no time to play. The girls have school about 8 hours a day, then when you have 5 programs going on, and you have to practice your dance routine, practice your piano recital, practice for your play or tennis match, that's another several hours a day of practice, AND you have homework AND you have your household chores, when does the child get to just play with dolls, ride a bike or take it easy? There were Montessori parents I knew who did that. I remember asking them for playdates at the park, but they said no, their kids had no time for that. I thought that was sad.

And here we are, at the other end of the spectrum. I need to get her some activity. The dance class isn't for a few more months and the soccer class is too far away. We're going camping in August and the swimming classes are at the same time, so that's out too. So she stays at home this summer, unless I can get her out to the park, out on a playdate or we go do something together. There's two extremes I see, too much to do and in our case, not enough to do. I'd like to find the middle ground.