The Summer of Good Intentions

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The old proverb “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” must surely have been written by a parent during summer vacation. Think back to the last days of school. While you were struggling with keeping up with reading logs, packing lunches and apathy from all sides you were dreaming of summer days spent lounging at the pool or frolicking through one of our amazing regional parks. Your children were tanned and happy, you were smiling and every day was a new adventure.
Fast forward to the days after July 4th. Your children are fighting with you, each other and even the fake characters in whatever online game they are playing. They don’t want to go to the pool. They are bored. They are sleep deprived. And you are looking longingly at the back to school displays popping up at Target.

The Summer ofSo what happened? What changed? Why did you do nothing you planned to do in the last 5 weeks? I wish I had the answer. I do know that all the things I planned to do this summer, I have done none of them. Day trips to Athens, Columbus and Yellow Springs; visits to the zoo, art museum and local parks; reconnecting with old friends while our kids play around the pool or in the back yard. Why am I currently hiding in my office, eating chocolate and wishing my kids would just go away or get along?
I wrote the above a few days ago, and have pondered the why ever since and have come up with the following:

1. I do think that when we dream of summer, we forget that we are not camp counselors at the best day camp ever. We are parents. Parents who still have to cook, clean, do laundry and work. So by the time we are done with our real world duties there is very little time or energy to hop in the car and drive an hour to have “fun.”
2. Camps. They require the planning and execution of a Game of Thrones battle. Getting up early. Driving around with a car pool full of sweaty boys. Packing lunches and finding the lids to water bottles. Ain’t no one got time or the energy for fun after all that.
3. Vacations. You figure the average one week family vacation really requires at least 3 weeks: the planning week before, the actual vacation and the week to recover from all that togetherness, driving, drinking, sleep deprivation, backseat arguing and “fun”.

So I have decided to cut myself a little slack. Have we done all that I have planned to do this summer? No. But have my kids really suffered from it? Not really. They have enjoyed a mostly schedule free summer. And besides, we have a lot of summer left. Even if we get one thing crossed of the list I will be happy. My kids are fed, reasonably happy and currently, no one is bleeding. To quote a friend, speaking to her 3 boys last summer the last week of summer vacation: “We have one week of freedom left and by God we are going to have fun and you are going to like it!”

Happy summer all.

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Jennifer Amazon
I grew up in Wilmington, OH but am a Cincinnati girl at heart. I attended The (BEST) Ohio University, after which I met and married my husband of 18 years. After 2 kids (a 13 year old boy and a 8 year old girl) and 2 moves (Portland OR and Greensboro NC) we are back in our hometown and enjoying all Greater Cincinnati has to offer. As a contributor, I hope to pass on my love for this town and remind everyone that parenting is a messy business that is best dealt with a sense of humor, a stiff drink and a supporting cast of family and friends as crazy as you are

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