Everyone loves a vacation. I’m no different. This past March Break I took the kids up to visit my mom for a few days. But even when the kids are at home it still is a bit of a vacation. Yes, you read me right, I said it’s a vacation with my three kids at home. It’s a vacation from getting up early to rush to school or packing lunch the night before. It’s a vacation from overseeing homework assignments or filling out school forms. We go for a walk, play in the backyard or simply hang around the house doing nothing. It’s a nice change.
But with every vacation comes the end. I wasn’t looking forward to that. I suppose if we kept into our regular routine getting back on track wouldn’t be such a chore. But the kids like the break (heck, I like the break). That’s what vacation is all about, an escape from what you normally do (though I’m sure that’s not the actual definition). So Sunday night and I was starting to dread what lied ahead. The great thing is my kids enjoy going to school and were missing their friends. I thought this would make things easier.
We ate early and caught a movie together, a typical Sunday night. Everyone went to bed no problem. And even come morning time, everyone was out of bed on time and getting ready. I thought to myself, hey, maybe today won’t be so bad. Maybe we broke the vacation recovery cycle.
[insert evil laugh here]
[and here]
[and here]
Yes, wishful thinking on my part. The kids got up no problem, but as their minds awoke their bodies seemed to slow down, to almost a standstill. Breakfast was a battle between who had more cereal in their bowl and who should get the yellow milk glass. Lunch for my oldest had to be made on the fly as I realized the pasta I packed the night before contained slivered almonds and would be seized by the school nut police. The walk to school helped a little, maybe it was the cold air, and it was COLD. Actually it wasn’t all that cold, but somehow when you fall into Spring, temperatures you’re body could handle before are now unbearable.
But the more relaxed and content feeling instilled from the walk to school was short lived. My son, who has more energy than a tornado, didin’t want to walk home (energy can sometimes equal lazy). My youngest couldn’t decide if she wanted to walk or ride in the stroller so she settled on me carrying her. To her surprise I hadn’t agreed to this so our progress home was long and full of stops and starts (until I strapped my screaming toddler into the stroller).
Finally at home I give the kids a snack to warm them from the cold weather and we worked on circles and Earth poems (we’re preparing for Earth Hour this Saturday). And it’s here that I discover my crockpot, which I turned on 2 hours ago, wasn’t plugged in. I now have to recalculate dinner. And on the walk back to school after lunch, to take my son for his afternoon kindergarten, I cracked and broke one of the stroller’s front wheels right off (as in, not repairable).
[sigh]
The silver lining, I have to find something or I’ll start pulling my hair out, the day is half over and can only get better. And experience has taught me that vacation recovery usually only lasts a day or two. I’ve been down this road before and will again. I could change how we enjoy our vacation time, keeping on our regular schedule, but I like and need the break. And two days of insanity is worth that, isn’t it? Maybe? Fingers crossed.
Trying to balance life at home with my 3 kids (all under 7), while building my business and developing my writing. Oh and throw a load of laundry in and a dinner that isn't burnt. Wasn't working from home suppose to be easier?
Another day, another thought...or two. 
Posted by Kelly Lininger on March 23, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I know exactly what you mean!