Good Intentions

Good intentions of every summer: Structured morning schedules, daily school worksheets, activity lists, happy kids all day, and healthy eating with little junk food.

Reality: Good thing I'm not a school teacher. Consistency is not one of my strengths.

To demonstrate my point, we'll start with Sadie, who is a chip off the old block.

#1
Good intention: Sadie and her sidekick, Abbie started off the summer with a very well-thought-out, exciting dog-walking business. Their intent was to do this 5 days per week. They were even given job offers from one neighbor, to get $5 every time they bathe one of their dogs. Not bad for 9-year-olds! They started the mornings by stretching in the living room at about 8:00 am. Then they would walk down the street and pick up their "happy customers." They actually made like $15 each in just a few days!




Reality: As you can see by this picture, it was hard work! It took about 4 days to realize that sleeping in during the cool hours of the morning was a little more enticing than having spending-money.

Result: The shortest-lived small business ever created. One week, to be exact.


#2

Good intention: Keeping the kids busy with creative, hands-on activities. The first Saturday of the summer, I snagged a very nice sand-and-water table at a yard sale for just $10.


Reality: OK, it entertained nicely. But only when it was filled with sand AND water, and only if Bennett could have the hose running along with it. This means changing Bennett's clothes at least 4 times in a day. Dad especially does not endorse it because it makes an enormous mess on the patio.

Result: After one month, it may already be headed for a trip to the D.I. Unless I can convince Dad that the mess is all worth it.

#3

Good intention: Not buying junk food and sticking to just one sugar-snack per day.

Reality: Apparently, the friends' houses all contain way more good food than ours. The kids say we NEVER have good good treats. Our poor neighbors are feeding our kids.

Result: A pantry full of treats. A freezer stocked with ice cream and Popsicles. I've even resorted to hot dogs. Here's Bennett the other day after eating his 2nd or 3rd Fudgesicle of the day.



#4

Here's a good intention that has been kept, if you look at the big picture.

Good intention: Lots of FUN.

Reality: The kids' idea of "fun" is sitting at the computer playing hours of online games. I feel like a mean...cruise director:

"For today's activity, we'll be hiking to a waterfall. Oh, you're going to LOVE it, really...it's so beautiful! You know what? No. You don't have a choice. OK, LISTEN, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE SO GO GET YOUR SHOES ON!"

Yesterday, after an argument with one of our kids about too much computer, Jeremy took the boys to Target and bought them all a squirt gun. Was it wrong to reinforce negative behavior? Yeah. But...

the Result was several hours of active fun in the back yard (and unfortunately some sunburns.)

#5

Good Intention: Getting the kids to bed at a decent hour so that we can have a few minutes to relax before crashing, ourselves.

Reality: It's impossible. By then I'm too tired to try to get kids to do something they don't yet want to do.

Here's a typical night in our back yard that connects with our neighbors, the Thompsons. Movies, popcorn, the whole bit! It's either this or night games or the trampoline.

Result: Relaxation time is now from 7:00- 8:00 in the morning, when they are still sawing logs.

Gotta love the Good 'ol Summertime!