I love when my boys are off school. I do.
This summer has been filled with water slides, Chevy Chase style cross country expeditions to see a mouse, trips to Sonic happy hour, IMAX screenings, friends visiting and more.
There is an element of summer I am not proud to announce. It occurred to me this week as I was taking my kids out (not for the first time that day) and I realized it was 4 p.m. and the two small ones had not brushed their teeth yet that day.
There had been warning signs along the way. Little hints to my decline. Like when Evan came out of his room in black sport shorts and a black T-shirt. He looked like a sniper. I said nothing.
Would you let your kid wear this sock-and-sandal combination? If it’s summer, you do.
Or when I bought Caleb some Croc-like shoes that are actually in the shape of crocodiles.
Then there was the cereal. I bought them Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The real stuff with BHT. Apparently you do feed people you love carcinogens.
And as I write this, my eldest is wearing the exact same sniper ensemble (in his size, mind you) that Evan wore.
Summer has won, folks. Some would call it “choosing your battles.” I call it defeat.
You want tooth-rotting fruit snacks, kids?
Why not.
Pie for breakfast?
Of course!
Do we haaavvvveeeee to take a shower again????
Well, it’s just been two days and we did go swimming today. No.
We – no, I – need structure. I fall apart and lose all good sense without clearly defined schedules and bedtime rituals.
Don’t be confused. This is not a call for school to start stat. This is a wake-up call for me. I have realized I have different standards for acceptable daily life during the summer than I do during the school year.
And I’m so OK with that.