We had a family movie night last night. When I announced it, the kids were all, “Really?! But it’s a school night!” I know, kids. I know. Why don’t we just play hooky? Let’s just call it a day and finish school now, whatcha think?
I didn’t say that, but I cannot deny thinking it.
My children don’t get out of school until June 7th, which seems like a conspiracy of torture to me. I’m over everything about school and it shows. When the kids get home in the afternoon, our normal routine is a quick snack, then dive straight into homework before any playing.
Our current routine is come home, jump in the pool, play all afternoon and if you get to your homework and reading, yay! Bonus.
We are crawling to the finish line over here.
Every single morning, as I wake Tia up, she rolls over and blinks hard through sleepy, crusty eyes. “Mommy, can’t I skip school just this once?” she cries (sometimes sobs). Friends, I feel like I deserve a medal for not saying YES! Skip it. Let’s stay in bed in our jammies and watch movies all day. Screw school! POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!
I don’t say any of those things. I put on my Motivating Mom Hat and say super inspiring things like, “Finish strong, honey!” And “Can you taste the victory of your accomplishment?” And “12 More Days – Isn’t It EXCITING?!”
Then I drag her out of bed and force her into clothing. There is some hand clapping involved most mornings. Nature of the beast and all.
This morning the power tripped at 5:00 am, which means our alarm went off, which is honestly the rudest way one could possible be woken up.
(Actually, if you were to talk with my brother, you’d probably find that he has a story of an even ruder awakening. I may, or may not, have woken him up several times as a teenager by standing over his bed and letting loose a blood curdling scream. The memory of the look on his face as he thrashed around on his bed in utter terror gives me unending and eternal glee.)
Anyway, the alarm went off this morning at 5. Mercifully it did not wake up the kids and I was able to doze in and out of sleep. But when 6:30 rolled around, I could not get my brain to communicate to my extremities that it was time to get up. My brain kept sending them messages and my body was like, “Can’t we skip school just this once?”
12 More days until we’re done with all this – isn’t it exciting?! Finish strong! Can you taste the victory of your accomplishment?
Then I told myself to shut up…
12 more days until I can burn the agendas and the reading logs and…well, I probably shouldn’t burn the uniforms since we’ll need them again, but everything else is fair game! I have plans for the summer to keep the kids reading (plans that include paying them – incentive? bribery? Either way, I’m hoping it will motivate) and I have workbooks lined up for math and writing and Russian. But there will be no set agenda.
And there will be strictly enforced rules not to wake me up before 7:00 on any given morning lest they should face the wrath of schedule-free, summertime Mommy. Amen?
And we all said amen.
So show of hands – how many of you are already finished with school?
We’re finished! Of course, the other night my girl, who just finished kindergarten, requested I dig out her already-completed math workbook out of the recycling bin?! Yes, really. At least she’s oh-so glad not to be getting up before 7 a.m. , even if she’s reading her math workbook.
I would love for my kids to show some scholastic motivation. Well done, Kristin. 😉
We are REALLY finished. Last final for my last child was last Thursday. Graduation looms and we move on to college! Pretty surreal! 🙂
Whoa! Congratulations. That is HUGE. New season, eh? 🙂
YES! And our middle son’s wedding over the weekend was THE SWEETEST ever! We are indeed blessed!
Officially we are done, as in we logged our requisite 170 days. But since everyday, every hike, every ranger talk or National Geographic moment is such a great learning experience we just kept right on into our next “road school” year.
Yeah. Your summer school kicks our summer school’s tail. 😉
Hey, that’ll be enough out of you over there, Jenni On The Road. Just pipe down about continuing education through ranger talks, or the rest of us might have to whack you with an Abeka workbook or two. :).
You told her.
*fist bump*
Oh and incidentally, I would like us ALL to forever refer to her as “Jenni on the Road.” Perfection. 🙂
OK, you two. First of all, it’s Jennay On The Road. You have to say it like Forrest Gump would. And secondly, if you keep it up I’m gonna have to price Portland to Sacremento airfare so I can come straighten you out.
I double dog dare ya :).
Bethany took the words right out of my mouth. Bring it “Jennay.” We aren’t scared.
I finished my very first year of teaching (Special Ed.) yesterday! I think we were more excited for summer break than the kids! I cried to see them go and then I realized I didn’t have to set my alarm today and my tears turned into shouts of joy! My only problem: our apartment complex doesn’t have a pool!!! I’m rather distraught over this…St. Louis heat coupled with humidity from Haites…