My friends, many of my colleague, and of course my kids are excited that the school year is about to come to an end. I share some of their enthusiasm, but I am a little hesitant for the summer to approach as well. The professional side wants are excited for summer; the mother in me is a little on the fence!
From a professional standpoint, I am ecstatic to finish work! Don’t get me wrong- I love my job and the people I work with. However, I do need a break from refereeing kickball, explaining to kids repeatedly not to go UP the slide, being called stupid or liar daily, and reminding children that I have good hearing and do not need to be yelled at. It will be refreshing to get a long break and see the children’s smiling faces in the fall.
From a parent’s standpoint, the summer can tend to have a lot of bumps in the road. Kayla functions better with routine and structure. Although school can be stressful for her at times, the routine that she has from September until June helps keep her regulated. Summer time is full of “zig zags” and can create turmoil for Kayla and for our entire family.
I usually schedule camp after camp for Kayla to attend during the summer. However, this year I only signed her up for three camps. There will be several weeks where she doesn’t have anything scheduled. Keep in mind, we go away for two weeks in June. This year we are attempting to conquer Universal Studios (per request of her older sister) and one day at Disney (per request of Kayla). Not sure why I signed up for the theme parks but am hoping everything will run smoothly. After the over-stimulating theme parks, we will head to the beach for a week to (hopefully) relax.
Along with vacation and summer camps, Kayla will attend a couple of weeks of summer school and continue to get PT and OT throughout the summer. My rationale for not completely booking her entire summer is based on the theory that as Kayla gets older she is better at dealing with the “zig zags” that summer brings. Hoping this theory is correct! To make matters works, Kayla also does not do well with heat. Physically, the heat taps her muscles and she becomes lethargic.
In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have any days over 80 degrees, would have no humidity, and Kayla’s ability to be flexible will be at its all-time best over the summer. If it works out this way, I will be out on long bike rides and runs, busy mountain biking with friends, running with Kayla, writing grants, and working on Kayla’s Directory. It will be the best summer ever….to be continued!