Mom Monday #2 Surviving School Breaks

Hey hey! It's Monday! 
How was your weekend? Grand, I hope! 

Before I dive into Mom Monday I want to shout from the rooftops that my husband received a conditional job offer from the City Police Department this morning!! Conditional, meaning: pass the psych and medical and you've got the job! I'm pretty sure he's not crazy so he's got this! I'm so excited I'm dancing-on the inside. ;-) 

I woke up today feeling like a change was about to happen! 

Ok, back to our scheduled broadcasting.

So this week our kids are out of school, as are so many other children around the US. As parents, we cringe and look for the nearest corner to hide in as soon as we read the words: School Break on the school calendar. Bill Cosby said something so profound, "As the years go by, my wife and I grow closer together. Mainly because we're afraid of the children." 

First day of Thanksgiving Break

It may sound like a joke, but I'm sure he was very serious. If you're a parent, you know what I'm talking about. Especially if you have children who are polar opposites and do not get along for more than 5 minutes at a time. So how does a parent survive during these school breaks? If you're lucky, you'll make it to Monday with at least some of your hair. Here's what we do to make the most of our time with our kids, and avoid tantrums, boredom, boxing matches, and keep from going crazy. 

Step 1:

Bring in some reinforcements. IE: More kids. You're probably thinking, how does more kids make things easier? Well, if you're kids don't get along and don't seem to like anything they have at home to do, set up some play dates with friends and/or cousins. My kids have cousins that are just a little younger than they are, so they'll play nicely for hours. My sister needed me to fill in for her to babysit my niece and nephew, so I gladly said ok since I knew my kids would be preoccupied for long enough for me to get this post up and maybe even do some yoga while the little one naps. :-) We all win! Plus, I'm watching them at their house so my kids are happy to have new things to play with.

Step 2: 
Always have a plan. If you seem to have a plan of attack, er, I mean, plan for the day, your kids won't get bored as often. Think of all the things they can do to keep their minds busy. Board games, chores, activities to break up the day like going outside to play are some simple ideas. You could even plan a trip to a petting zoo, the park or even the library. So when my kids wake up and ask, "what are we doing today?" I try to have a plan so I can tell them, "We have lots to do today!" That way, they don't start their day off thinking they are just going to be bored all day. Easy enough?

Step 3:
Let them stay with grandma. <---'nuff said.

Step 4: 
If 1-3 aren't working, there's always Robitussin or Dimetap. . . haha I'm totally kidding!
Use school breaks for time to do something different. Maybe save a big craft project for the days they are home from school. Or, take them to a hobby store like Hobby Lobby or Michael's and let them pick out a project that will take some time over the course of a couple days to finish. This will keep their minds occupied and give them something to look forward to the next day.

Step 5: 
Let them play video games. GASP! I said LET THEM PLAY VIDEO GAMES! I'm not saying to let them have a free for all. But I am saying to give them some free time to play on the electronics since they are on vacation. Plus it will give you some time to breathe and think of what to do next. Maybe you'll even be able to get in a 30 minute workout while they warp their minds!

So if you find yourself going crazy at the beginning of every school break, don't worry, you're not the only one! Just go with the flow and remember, what doesn't kill ya, only makes you stronger. ;-)

Have a great week everyone!