Since there is no official homework today, I figured I'd post this and see if anyone else is feeling the same way.

This weekend dh and I reviewed our calendars through the end of the summer. From here until the weekend AFTER Labor Day, we only have three free weekends!

A lot of it is really fun stuff but I feel completely overwhelmed to know that we are already so booked up.

That takes away so much of the flexibility and spontenaity that I love about summer...impromtu bbqs with friends, sitting around the fire pit in the evenings, etc...

I felt my stress level go up immediately as we continued to turn page after page of our calendars and writing in everything that's already been scheduled.

At this point, it's probably too late for us to change things so I'm trying to figure out a way to make sure I manage to stay calm, get in my alone time and maintain my sanity this summer.

Dd is super excited for summer vacation and I really don't want to start the summer dreading it.

I hate when my calendar gets to look like that, Brie. That usually means that I start having veg days in between the superdrive ones. The pendulum swings both ways when it needs to stay in the middle!

Linda

I cancelled three of my summer committments and refused to let dh schedule something for one of the rare free weekends.

I will also be definitely child care swaping as well plus my parents are around in the summer and they beg to take dd for the day to take her on outings.

Overall, I'm feeling better about the schedule now that I've had time to process.

I have two summer classes and work. That's pretty much it. The only major events I have planned are a 5 mile race in July and a half marathon in September (although that's not summer), but I have to train for that half, so that will keep me entertained for a long while.

I started a sweater in order to keep busy during down times, because I love knitting. If I'm lucky, I'll have a sweater to wear for winter.

Otherwise, I'm not adding much to the schedule, other than a few day trips around the sort of local area. I want to enjoy my summer, since last year's pretty much didn't exist.

I really miss summers when my kid was 9 or 10 or 12 or 13.

The local bowling alley gives a card to the students for 1 free game a day all summer... and teachers also get a card with one free game a day. We'd go every day and bowl our one game and pay for a second game if it was a discount time... like before 10am or something. Once he became a teen, he didn't want to do that any more.

When he was 13, I sort of forced him to go camping with me a lot... but we had a blast. We went down to the Big Sur coast line and I found a state park where the campgrounds were only $10 a night. That was really a fun summer.

We also had a blast in DC last year.

I really like summers with my kid (although it was easier when he was little and thought that bowling with mom was a really fun thing to do). I'm bummed that he has to go to summer school this year.

AS an "OLD" mother, I've learned way to late, that I scheduled my children in way too much with summer activities, and then did the same thing with our family. Brie as you said, there is little to do about it now; but here's some thoughts.

On those days when your dd is off to camp, take time for YOU....forget housework, forget errands, take the time for you. Do what makes you happy.
Rather than dreading the weekends, remember these are memories and things that you will have to talk about during the cold winter months. Take a camera along, and record the events...so that you can make mini scrapbooks of what you did during the summer.
If you need to find a friend for DD to spend some time with during the summer for a day, to have some real power time for yourself, exchange days with a friend you trust and then go for it.
Both moms will appreciate the whole day off.

Just words of "i wish I'd done that" wisdom from an old mom.

Cathy J

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
I think the hardest part for me is losing my alone time during the day. Dd will be at a variety of camps but not every week and most of them are only 1/2 day vs full day.

I am in that exact boat. The half day camps and activities sometimes end up being more work than help. Time to get there, pack a snack, transition home....

On the up side dd is doing camps that REALLY interest her this year. She's doing some science stuff and also loads of music. I am hoping she feels really good about the time at comp.

There's always next school year for us, Brie!

summers are rough on parents, whether you work or not.
even the school holidays are rough on me!

Summer doesn't look too bad, but May is starting to look pretty awful. The only reason my stress levels aren't up yet is because it hasn't dawned on me just how booked I am.

I actually feel better than usual because I've been exercising more. Now all I need to add to my to-do-list is "repair old bike or buy new one"... my trusty old 3-speed fell apart last night. The gears just snapped and then the wire got tangled in with the chains and, and, and it's a wonder I got home at all. Phew. She was only 14 years old and I overhauled her only last year.

I think the hardest part for me is losing my alone time during the day. Dd will be at a variety of camps but not every week and most of them are only 1/2 day vs full day.

Because I'll have her with me most of the time, it feels doubly worse to not have down time on the weekends to just veg out.

My new plan of attack is to focus on our trips which I'm super excited about and just let the rest fall into place.

PS The whole summer schedule thing also hit me all at once because on the same day I got dd's recital h*ll week schedule and then dh layered on all the work events that I "should" attend. Add in the vacation time and family visits the whole summer seemed over before it even started.

I need to do some research and find out what was going on in my town in August and September of 2000. It seems like half of DS's first grade class (DS included) has a birthday in May! He's going to several parties in the next few weeks. Luckily, one of the upcoming parties is a sleepover, which will give DH and me a chance to have a long overdue night out together.

But I definitely empathize with the summer over-scheduling. Our calendar has filled up the same way. We had to register DS for day camps early, and our vacations are revolving around extended family this year.

What helps me is to adapt a different mindset in the summer -- every evening is a mini-weekend. Our local pool has a family night on Fridays, with special prices, barbecues, and other events. We try to have cookouts on weeknights when weekends get overbooked. You just have to find ways to apply that spontaneity and flexibility all week long. Easier said than done sometimes, I know, but worth trying.

For some reason May is always a super busy month where weekends are concerned. Looking at my schedule there is nothing listed on any weekeday all month except our usual trivia nights but every single weekend is full. And I don't even have time for my Sunday square dancing until the last sunday of the month and then only if I skip the Pow Wow that day.

This month is busy-a lot of birthdays and Mothers Day. I really try to limit what I schedule, unless it's a wedding or something that is super important, I try not to schedule myself too far ahead. I am a very spontaneous person and really don't like feeling over-booked. I agree with Denise-there are some events, no matter how fun they may be, that I will opt out of. I don't deal well with stress. I have really learned to say no to social engagements if I feel it will cause me to never be home. I like being home. I like to go out and do fun stuff as well but try to keep a good balance of both.

Jill

I feel over scheduled sometimes... but not especially right now.

ds has to go to summer school... so that is kind of limiting much of our summer plans. We'll be home.

I can think of about 6 Saturdays that are committed between now and Labor Day.

Sometimes I turn down commitments... even if they are fun. Like a group of friends go camping every labor day weekend... and as fun as it would be to do this... THAT is not a weekend that I want to get in the car and drive anyplace. So I bow out and we bar-b-que at home or something.