Spring Break is here and the kids are home from school this week. It’s a bittersweet time for me. Sure, I’m excited about not having to wake up at 6:30 (I’m not a morning person!) but the problem remains what to do with Tyler doing this time. Working from home has definite advantages. During breaks and early dismissals, I don’t have to worry about missing work or finding other alternatives for Tyler. It also means that I have to try to work with him hanging around my neck (sometimes literally). Although he can certainly amuse himself and understands that this is my work time, he has his own agenda. Thankfully, I have just two assignments due this week and they’re not what I call “heavy”, just straight reporting.
Initially, I planned to structure each day so that he would have lots of independent work to do so that I could work at least two hours during the day. Then I remembered what Spring Break is all about. It’s a time for kids to get a break, hello!. So many times, we parents want to plan each and every waking moment in our kid’s lives. We want them to do something constructive all the time. Let’em play!
So this week we are trying something new. We are having free play all week. No plans, just fun. Heck, we may not get out of our pajamas! Okay, I guess we will get dressed since we will probably go outside at some point. I have a bunch of DVD’s from the library (including the first season of Beauty and the Beast) and plenty of popcorn. We have two kids books on CD and some chapter books. We have playdough, paint, and plenty of ice cream. My work will still be done; after all, I can still work at night. And I can manage to sneak in some writing time. Right now as I write this Tyler is busy amusing himself. He has given me permission to work until lunchtime.
Spring Break is intended for the kids but for parents who work at home (or don’t work) it’s also a great time to take a break from the normal hustle and bustle of our busy lives. Don’t waste this opportunity.
See also:
Taking a Break from School Breaks
Sending Your Kids to College for the Summer