one week in-

Well we had a stellar first week of summer! Until we caught a cold. Colds in the summer should totally not be a thing,- colds in the summer while pregnant should REALLY not be a thing. It’s just me and Izzie feeling down and out, Linc is still going strong. And at least it’s Friday. No swim lessons today or play dates. Instead we are reading library books and playing legos while planet earth plays in the background. Probably a “family movie night” later on. (Something parents do when they are too tired to deal but they want the kids to think it’s a fun and special privilege. IT IS.) We had a special date night planned to celebrate our anniversary, but that will have to wait. I don’t want to pay for a delicious meal if I can’t taste it, knowwhatimean.

We started something new this summer, honestly so I didn’t pull my hair out answering the question “Can I watch a show, can I play on the iPad.” During the year it’s easy enough because we have school and a schedule but in the summer I don’t think their little minds understand WHY we say no to early morning screen time. I’m all about the BREAK in summer break- I really want my kids to have fun, to be able to stay up a little later, eat Popsicles, have friends over, etc. But I needed a better reason why TV shouldn’t be on at 6 am other than “not right now” or “because I am the boss of your universe.” Anyway, saw this on pinterest and modified it for my kids. It’s laminated and so gracefully taped to our fridge by Izzie. We call it The Checklist.

I was skeptical. Linc is four. He doesn’t care too much for chores or doing anything he doesn’t want to do. At this point I could present a montage of pictures of him throwing fits of ridiculous things, but I’ll refrain. These are simple things the kids can do together, with me, or on their own get started on their day. It’s only been a week but it has been a GAME CHANGER.

They typically wake up between 6 and 6:30. Instead of sprinting to my bedside to ask for some sort of screen, they know what needs to be done. Isabelle is more type-a, she is dressed and her bed made before Lincoln wakes up. Linc “makes” his bed by pulling the covers up, that’s it. Nothin’ fancy.

seriously how it feels

The mornings have been so much better, nay I say glorious. One morning I woke up to a hot wheels track through the kitchen. Another day they were quietly reading books on the couch together. I mean, doesn’t that sound really cute! It is cute! Actually re-reading that it sounds like I’m being a pretty lazy and neglectful mother, but that hour from 6 am to 7 am I am really not needed. It’s good for their little brains to be creative and have some free time, right? I bought this silly little pineapple egg timer and Isabelle is having a great time setting it to 30 minutes. A lot of times the timer goes off and they don’t even realize it, and they keep playing.

By the time we have swim lessons at 9, and an errand after that or a playdate, we come home for lunch. The kid’s finish their checklists and during that blistery hot 110 degree part of the day, they have earned their screen time. And I feel good about that. The best part I don’t feel like a dictator, and they don’t feel like they are being tortured. It’s totally up to them. Some days we just end up swimming all day long and those are the best days. Isabelle is learning all the different types of strokes. Lincoln is swimming like a fish now and goes down Grandpa’s slide about a trillion times.

freckles

so excited about her sparkly gold swim cap

Also it had been awhile since we have been to the library and they have upped their game! This new little lego corner was really fun. Our area tends to be way behind the times on “cool things” and it was nice to have something new and worthwhile.

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