A Mommy Story

How’s your week going? I don’t even know what day of the week it is.

(Checks computer calendar…OK, it’s Wednesday.)

Summer camp ended last week, and school doesn’t begin until next Wednesday, which means we’re in that limbo period between the two where the kids are home all day while I’m also trying to work during that same time.

This plan? Doesn’t work well. Here’s how our days have been going. (With thanks to the Smurfs for illustration.)

Cordy generally starts her day on the computer after breakfast.

Mira watches while finishing breakfast. I sit down to my computer and try to get as much work done as possible.

Then by mid-morning, Mira gets restless. And starts doing things to annoy Cordy.

Which makes Cordy angry. Yelling, whining, and unpleasant behavior begin.

I then have to stop what I’m doing to mediate between these two.

I think Papa Smurf is holding a crystal, but it really looks like a beating stick to me.

Then it’s lunchtime. I make them lunch, then I eat a minimal lunch while working.

By mid-afternoon, they’re clearly bored at home, so we go take care of an errand or do something out of the house. However, with this new unstructured schedule, they both usually act something like this while we’re out:

This may be more tame than how they actually act.

So we come back home. I go back to work and suggest they read or do something not involving electronics. Cordy will read for awhile, but Mira has no ability to stay quiet for long, and then:

Anything that can make noise, she finds it.

Which makes me (and Cordy) grumpy.

Mira then practices her gymnastics for a little bit, begging me to watch and give feedback. So I do, typing a few words at a time between watching cartwheels and rolls.

I then give in and let them back on the electronic devices for an hour, and we all work in quiet on our own devices. Aaaah, peace again.

And finally, Aaron comes home from work. We make dinner, he takes over entertaining the kids for an hour, and then they’re off to bed while I go back to working for the evening.

I’m looking forward to school starting again next week. I mean, it’s not so bad when I look back over a single day, but when I’m in the middle of the day itself, it feels like it’ll never end and I’ll never get anything done. I am getting things done, though – just not at the speed and in the order I’d prefer. Cordy and Mira are also getting things done, even if I worry about them spending too much time on the electronics.

But I know we’ll all be happier when we’re back into our school routine again. And that routine will be cheaper, too – I’ve been offering the kids rewards if they don’t fight with each other and are extra helpful around the house.

One reward for getting through the week together? Going to the movies. So far no one has lost their privileges, so there’s a good chance we’ll be taking in a movie this weekend. It’s probably no surprise that movie may be Smurfs 2. McDonald’s has partnered with Smurfs 2 to promote the movie with their Happy Meal toys. We’ve been collecting Smurfs from the girls’ Happy Meals because Cordy and Mira think they’re cute, and I love the nostalgia. Our Smurfs have also been hanging out with these guys from the last set of Happy Meal toys.

Giveaway!

Do you want a free trip to the movies, too? McDonald’s and Sony’s Smurfs 2 provided me with four movie passes to give away to one lucky reader! (Passes are generic Sony movie passes, FYI, good at any theater.)

This is a simple giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below and tell me the name of your favorite Smurf. That’s it, easy-peasy. If you don’t remember the Smurfs all that well, here’s quick guide to help you out.

One entry per person, US only. Giveaway will be open until Monday, August 19 at noon ET. Then I’ll close it, pick a winner and email that person. You’ll have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be selected.

Good luck! And wish me good luck to get through the rest of this week – school starts in less than a week!

Disclosure: No Smurfs were harmed in the making of this post. McDonald’s and Sony provided the prize for this giveaway, as well as an equal prize pack for my family as well. All Smurfs shown above? Totally purchased by me.