Summer Vacation, Kicking Ass, And Corralling Children (or not)

Summer Vacation, Kicking Ass, And Corralling Children (or not)

We are a week into summer vacation and I feel as if I have already lost the battle.

Maybe those are not the correct words to use, but that is how I feel.

Battle-weary.

Last Tuesday was the last day, a short day, and it went well enough. The following morning I had to get everybody up early to get to Ciaran’s orthodontist appointment. If I remember correctly I left August at home since he is 13.

Thursday was a blur as was Friday. Saturday was hectic since August was going to an overnight camping trip with the Boy Scouts. We spent some time on Friday getting him ready and we were up early to get him to the drop off point to carpool up to the hike. Only for reasons I won’t go into, we wound up just missing the troop. Thankfully they were taking a ferry and we managed to rush over and meet them at the ferry and August was able to go.

Sunday, Father’s Day, was… things started picking up then. At least I got to sleep in until 6:30 in the morning. We picked up another crib from Craigslist, and while I was out picking that up August returned from his camping trip. We went out to dinner – and throughout the weekend we started planning for our upcoming vacation.

Monday was the beginning of the end – of my wits, as in “at wit’s end.

Yeah, I know, it doesn’t even measure up to be a bad joke.

Since Laura is still not out of school yet (Seattle’s public schools will end this week) I have the kids. This meant I had to get everybody up, especially Ciárán who had Math Camp starting at 9. Then I had to pick him up at 11. While this logistical maneuvering wasn’t difficult, it is the dynamics of the interpersonal relationship with all the siblings under the roof. With only one child attending any sort of camp this week, everybody else is just… here. And that’s the problem.

Sunday Dela and August were to get some “training” to look after a dog for a couple of days (essentially just meeting the dog, learning where the food is kept, etc.). Tuesday was the first day August and Dela were to look after the dog. August missed the training because the return from camping took longer than expected. Since the dog did not need to come to our house to stay the two of them simply walked the couple of blocks to  the house to make sure there is enough food and water and to walk the dog. Of course the two of them fought.

August had a teeth cleaning on Tuesday as well. That meant getting Ciárán to his math camp, getting August to the dentist, wrangling everybody while at the dentist, picking up Ciárán then doing lunch and putting Tevye down for nap.

It’s not that bad, but when any one of a variety of children are fighting among themselves it makes even the smallest chore that much more difficult.

Today August had a doctor’s appointment. Nothing major, just a check-up and a form to be filled out for camp. Again, this was while Ciárán was at math camp. Wrangling everybody together and managing the arguments was just… the appointment went fine, the form is signed and we made it back in time to pick up Ciárán, but by the end of it I was exhausted. August and Dela simply would not stop fighting. I could not turn my back on them without an argument breaking out.

It’s going to be a long summer.