SUMMER WITH KIDS IS THE CRAZIEST TIME FOR PARENTS

Autumn days with children

I remember a post in which I wrote about why I feel so good on autumn days. I finally have time for this sense of harmony and peace. I described how the children play alone at home and invent games together. I feel that the fall season calms us down, and above all, that time passes more slowly on autumn days.

https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/why-does-fall-time-calm-me-and-my-family/

Summer days with children

And suddenly, summer has arrived!!! The end of the school year, and I have no time for anything. The kids are still waiting for days full of attractions: swimming pools, ice cream, water parks. Every weekend there are festivals, concerts, children’s days, village days, mountain days, and I don’t know what else. July is over, and I don’t know where MAY and spring were!!!!

https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/mad-summer-days-with-my-family/

Now I know why I have so much free time on autumn days!!! Because it’s the school year, and I have a half-day break from Mommy.

I still work mornings and nights. Two hours of sleep after a night shift during children’s holiday is a miracle. At 9 a.m my kids are already wanting to go outside. During the school term, I sleep until 12 or 1 p.m., make dinner, and then go pick up the kids. Now I don’t even have time to cook. My kids’ bodies are made of ice cream and watermelon during the summer holidays. Colorful shakes flowing through their veins, and they poop the color of the cotton candy they ate.

I’m also on a break from writing posts, as you’ve probably noticed, but I simply can’t keep up.

Summer subject and activity

The worst part is that I still haven’t met a group of mothers with children my own age in the Czech Republic. I spend entire days in children’s groups. Just talking about why they shouldn’t get close to wasps, bees, and other insects, why they should eat something more nutritious before ice cream, and why we shouldn’t go to the cinema yet since it’s only 7:00 PM.

My door at home doesn’t lock even when it rains. Patrick’s friends have been calling me on the intercom since 9 a.m., telling me “I’m going over to Patrick”.

Dora gets birthday party invitations every weekend. They come back from each festival with tattoos, colorful hair, and wonderful memories, which they share with me instead of falling asleep.

I, on the other hand, feel like a robot. Wake up at 4 a.m work eight to ten hours, come back, and the kids are already waiting to go out together. I drop off my work bag and get my beach bag ready. On the way, I grab some Powerade, the kids some drinks and snacks, and we’re at the river or pool. Then a few playgrounds. My legs are getting up my ass. I’m sitting on a bench waiting for my little monster to finish jumping on the trampoline, and then they tell me:

Mom!! We’re bored!!

I have so many things on my mind I’d like to share with you, but after a day like that, I’m exhausted and fall asleep faster than the kids.

And the weekend!??

Doing laundry three times is not enough. My kids get so dirty during the summer; there’s ice dripping on them, mud by the river, ketchup from a hot dog there. And as soon as they get up, the first question is already there: “Mom, what are we going to do?” I don’t recall asking my parents that question when I was a child, because they would immediately find work for me: picking blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, picking ripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, fine beans, and whatever else was in the garden.

In my childhood, it was best to sneak out in the morning and come back in the evening, hungry or not, but in the best mood in the world. Now, in the morning, you’ll hear: “Mom, what are we going to do?”

Plans for everything

I already have a plan for the kids for the whole day. The only thing that helps us limit our activities with children is visiting grandparents, having a barbecue together or grilling sausages. Children can ride bikes there, jump on the trampoline, and we as parents have minimal chance to rest.

It would be better if you had some specific episodes in mind, about which I could write a few words, as usual with a sarcastic approach. I’ll try, like today, to write on the balcony while the kids peel tomatoes and peppers for a salad, cut parsley with scissors, and in a moment they’ll be making a salad out of it all. I hope we can end this crazy day with a bath, because I’m leaving for the night shift soon. https://littlepuzzlesandme.com/the-ugly-truth-about-working-mothers-sacrifice/