The BBQ Isn't The Only Thing Burned Out

The theme to the cartoon show "Phineas & Ferb" says "there's 104 days in summer vacation."  For Livingston public school kids, the reality is that there are only about 74 days in summer vacation. 

Now, I've been going with the flow, enjoying this season, being with my children, and "chillaxing" at the pools.  We've had a nice rhythm going. Until this past week.  The countdown to September 6th has officially begun.

My son, at age 11, is dipping his does into tweenhood and I'm cherishing my time with him because college is looming in a mere 7 years.  My daughter, at 5, is at a great age where she's able to explain how she feels; plus, she's asking some remarkable questions like, "if you were President, how would you make the world a better place?"  The kids are lovely ... when they're not fighting about toys they haven't touched in four years, air space, or television shows.  Honestly, if one of my kids found a dust bunny under the couch, they would fight to the death for it.  So, yes, I'm tired of being a minute-by-minute referee.  

In other words, I'm burned out.  Although the kids have been going to our wonderful SYLS camps in the morning, if I hear one more afternoon refrain of "what are we doing today?" I will scream.  Yes, I can be a social director for a short time, but now it's wearing on me.

I'm tired of scrambling (or begging) for playdates.  I've become weary of scouring The Weather Channel to see if the 30% chance of showers will materialize into a full-fledged monsoon and cancel our afternoon plans.  Plus, the expense of summer is scratching a hole in my purse.  This week alone, I've spent $17 on McDonald's (the one in West Orange has a guy who makes balloon animals on Tuesdays), $20 on Chuck E. Cheese (and that was without the cost of tokens), $16 on guest badges for out-of-town playmates, and $17 on snacks at the town pools (to supplement the copious amount of food I brought).  That's $70 in one week and we never even left the area!

As much as I love my kids, they need the stimulation of school.  They need their routine.  And they need their friends, many of whom are at sleepaway camp or on vacation this week, around them. 

I need things.  Like time to myself to complete a thought without someone needing something.  I want to go to the bathroom alone.  I want to have just one meal during the day that's still warm by the time I eat it.  I'd like to catch up on some non-Disney Channel or Nickelodeon television.  Most of all, I want my brain back.

It's been a great summer full of love and memories.  I've cherished it.  But if there were 104 days in summer vacation, as Phineas & Ferb said, my intellect would most certainly fade to dust.