Summer Chaos

I am by nature a “doer.” If you look at the unending summer chaos in my home that might surprise you.  But I am a “doer.” I do stuff.  And honestly, I like it.  While I may not be productive I awkwardly thrive on productivity.

This may answer the question why it’s hard to sit down, or slow down, or stop moving.  Much of my day is spent following small and not-so-small people around my home picking up, wiping off, or putting away things.  I never get ahead but I’m never too far behind. 

Except for Tuesday when I left to go ice skating with my 8 year old. Which, by the way, was the BEST TIME EVER! If you want to go and get your groove on and see if you still have the roller skating moves you had when you yourself were in 3rd grade, then listen up.  Take my 8 year old with you to the ice skating or roller skating rink.  Trust me. She is old enough to not need too much assistance, young enough to think you are way cool, and self-confident (or maybe ignorant) enough to let you dance yourself across the rink with reckless abandon sailing past the other children. Bliss.

But I digress; Tuesday when I came home I found the place over run by snack wrappers, small toys, Pet Shops, American Girl items, Hot Wheels and enough miscellaneous items to fill a grocery bag. (Oh you know that’s what I did, filled the bag with items left out that were apparently “not mine.”) Tuesday was not my shining moment.  I felt like a 9 month pregnant woman nesting her last moments away before her new arrival.  Except for there was no new arrival and I was laboring with 5 fully developed children.  

You see being a doer has often lead me to being a “should-er” too.  Since I’m at home I “should” be able to keep this place picked up. I “should” be helping my kids education in the summer with flashcards and cool ipad apps to keep them up to date on their schooling.  I “should” get great quality time with each child since we have so much quantity time.  I “should” start a hobby for myself.  I “should” be scrap booking the pictures from our summer adventures.  Which implies that I "should' be taking pictures of our summer adventures. I “should” .... The list tends to snow ball when I let it.

Until now.  

I’m choosing to just embrace the chaos.  The spinning out of control summer.  The humidity that is making me want to hurt something (I thought AZ was a dry heat).  The markers with no lids, an ipod being used without permission, the beds not made and the teeth not being brushed. Seriously! "We have done this twice a day since you had teeth- why has this become optional this summer?!"  I will not cringe with the “shoulds” and simply go with what is. I will parent and correct but not make perfection my end goal.

And that goes for you.  Please know I have no expectation for you. Or your children. So please don’t make them for me.  If you invite my child to play- no need to excuse your mess.  I have some too.  If I invite your family to dinner and there is still laundry on the couch.  I’m trying.  We’re like family you and me.  We can just enjoy our time together (and fold the laundry).

So for now, please don’t “should’ on me and I won’t “should” on you. 

It’s summer.  No need to stress.  The kids, at least some of them, will be back to school in no time (enter silent cheer) and we’ll be slightly lost without them. There really are bigger things to worry about than the Cheeze-It crumbs on the couch and the empty Popsicle box that got left in freezer.

And take my advice. Go get some skates on and do your groove thing.  You still got it, Mama!