Day One | End-of-Summer Survival

The other day, I walked around the corner into my den. Julia was stretched out on the couch with her blankie. She was very peaceful. Max, though, was standing above her, his toy, plastic hammer held over head ready to throttle his sister. While I pulled the hammer from Max’s fist and tried to convince him that smiling wasn’t the appropriate reaction (there’s no reasoning with a 16-month-old), I realized that summer had hit us all. By that I mean the stagnate, summer doldrums had knocked us over. It’s when the expectations of what summer could be collide with what summer really is. It’s when you’re stuck inside because the heat index is well over 110 degrees, you’ve lost all motivation to try something new or to do anything bold, and the people closest to you start to look like someone you’d like to bash over the head with a toy hammer. Apparently, even toddlers aren’t immune to summer stagnation.

It was almost this exact moment that I knew I had to change something before I pulled all my hair out and my children resort to real violence. (I say this in total jest. My kids are never violent for the sake of violence. It’s regular sibling rivalry-and probably totally mild compared to what’s to come. I just thought I’d have a year or two more before it kicked in. Silly Mama.)

When school let out in May and June, the Internet was full of advice on how to survive the summer. And I’ll tell you that I started out with that enthusiasm as well. I had plans. And even though Julia was only in school 3 mornings a week, I felt like I had some down time. It’s hard entertaining two toddlers full time. And I’m exhausted, and my kids are watching more TV than I like.

So, for the month of August I’m going to work to beat Summer and to squeeze all the excitement and joy out of the last month before back to school hits. I know that come October, I’ll be wishing I could take the Kiddo Combo to the pool or enjoy the beach with them. But by then there will be school priorities, and it’ll be too cold to run through the backyard barefoot. For these 30 Days I am going to relish in Summer’s dog days (sadly, without our dog) and live it up. We’re going to do more than survive Summer, we’re going to thrive in it.

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