SHE SAID... Sanity in the Summertime = Playtime

Barbara Ward-Finneran
Summertime is the biggest blessing.  Laid back days to stay up late and sleep in until morning is practically over when desired.  Time to frolic in the sun and play with friends.  Extra hours for reading, games and lots of laughter.  Pure bliss except when interrupted by that dreaded sentence... "Mom, I'm bored".

I'm very lucky it's not a sentence that frequents my boys lips.  A combination of creativeness, "Camp Mommy", and sibling camaraderie as well as being a house where "all the kids" can play keep it at bay at our place.  Yet just a little over a week into summer here where I live, and  I have friends who are already over hearing it.  (Yes, I know, my northern peeps - envious as you are because you are still in school - talk to us in early August when we are back in session already!)  Many solve this issue by offering up random chores or yard work that's just begging to be done and dreaded by all.  Still others spring into mission impossible Mom style by finding all kinds of wonderful ways to ward off the dreaded doldrums of our kids having too much time on their hands.  


I adore my mom and admire all that she taught me and how she raised me.  But truth be told, I don't recall her, or the other moms in my life when I grew up entertaining us. At least not regularly.   One of the reasons I swear by the "more the merrier" rule.  The more kids that are hanging out playing the more fun there is to be had by all - without me needed to conduct the fun train.  When I was a kid, we had to play.  Outside.  Rain, shine, heat and snow - outside you'd go.  Endless hours with the neighborhood kids 'til the street lights came on.  

Wanna keep your sanity this summer?  Dare I say, plan some time to just play.  For your kids and for yourself - alone and with them.  Spend time together without the coordinated distraction of events, activities and electronics.  Unplug and find some ways to stir up some good old fashion (and might I mention free - to quote my cousin - "free" is my favorite four letter F word!) fun.  Make forts in the living room, take a walk even when it might be 100 degrees in the shade - the AC will be there when you get back and you'll appreciate it more.  Make ice pops in paper cups, build sandcastles by the beach, collect sea shells, beat the pants off them in staring contests, and play "war" until you can't stand to see those cards anymore. You can always end the game by throwing in the towel with "52 Pick Up".  Laugh and have fun.  Moments that make memories help you keep your sanity and it's cheaper then therapy.  And when that runs thin...  schedule some playtime for yourself with your gal pals and or with your honey.  Recharge your battery, reconnect, read a good book, and even "wine" down once and a while if necessary. Make time for playtime and you'll not lose your mind but rather have the times of your life.  Taking in the smiles, love and laughter... that's what really matters. That's what keeps us sane.  In the really big scheme of things - nothing else matters.  “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

SHE SAID.....

Dawn Boyle
In reacting to Tony's He Said... I must say, there is a difference between a mothers love and that of a father. I put my children before myself, sometimes to a fault. I would go without to make sure they have all they need. Not all mothers are the same, but I can name off the top of my head about 5 "dads" I know personally that take care of themself before doing anything for their children.

This story seems to me like this kid got a real raw deal. The mother never visited him after the father got custody and now the kids dad splits and leave him alone? Come on!! There are so many people in the world that would love to have children, yet it seems like more and more we are hearing horrible stories about abuse, neglect and even worse.

I understand what you're are saying about hard times and thinking that maybe the kid would be better off without him, but there are other ways to deal with "foreclosure" then by dumping you kid on some random neighbor. I guess it could've been worse, in fact the kid is probably lucky that the "father" ran away.

Just amazes me how many people have kids and then discard them like they are garbage.

read the story and Tony's He Said by following the link below
http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/08/he-said_30.html

THE NEWISH ADVENTURE

Sometimes Your Whole World Is What's Shaken'...

DRL Proudly Introduces Our Newest Contributor:

Jessica Lemoine McGinnis Yee

Someday in February this year, a new adventure was started by me and my husband. Well, not exactly new but newish. See, I found out that at age 42 I was to be a Mom again. Wow what a kicker! I have two beautiful kids but the last time I was in the birthing mindset was 12 years ago. A much younger body and much younger mindset and blissfully ignorant enough to the adventure called parenthood. Now I’m in the prime of my life, in the “lets live it up the kids are grown enough that I can have some fun” mindset. Go to concerts, lectures or take a class and not have to pay half my paycheck to a babysitter. Now we are starting over?! I’m going to lectures and taking a class but it’s to remember how to give birth naturally. See I birthed twice, all natural, although not completely my choice. I was into give me that epidural like most women, what the heck did I know. I didn’t embrace the natural movement in my twenties; I still don’t embrace a lot of it. But I have made some small changes, like I recycle, buy organic and believe in local shopping even if it cost a bit more. Sustaining the small business owner if just for one more day and hopefully boosting my local economy.