Wednesday, July 2, 2008

The “Opposite” Vacation

Most moms really don’t like school break, at least after a few weeks of vacation has passed. They enjoy doing things with their children that there is no time for during the year… but the noise, the “Mommy, I’m bored..” gets a bit nerve wracking after a while. And the mess… constantly you have to remind your teens that the place for trash is in the garbage can, and not everywhere else. So most Moms breathe a big relaxing sigh of relief when school restarts in September.
But by me it’s the opposite. The entire scholastic year I have spent preparing and adapting materials for Ricki’s studies, often to un-G-dly (G-d would not approve how I am wrecking my health) hours of the night
Now that summer is here, I will cut down on studies, and those I do with Ricki can be done with materials I have, not stuff that needs to be adapted from the regular curriculum. (YAY!!) I hope to spend a bit of time each day with Ricki reviewing reading and math, and most of the remaining time use for crafts, sports, and fun. I want to make cooking and other independent learning skills a priority. But my biggest priority is to make this all fun, for Ricki at least. It means that I will be busy, but, frankly, less than during the year, and without pressure.
Probably by the middle of the summer, when Ricki will be finished with her morning day-camp, I will be singing a different tune…. and yet, it is hard to envision the school year being less stressful. But I will probably also look forward to it, joining with Ricki in her pleasure of being in the eldest class of the school.

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