Friday, June 06, 2008

Let the games…BEGIN!!!

Today is the last day the Denizens will be underfoot for a while. That’s right! Day Camp starts Monday!

Captain Adventure has been going to a preschool / daycare all week (working with him home is absolutely impossible), but the girls…oh Lord, the girls have been home and underfoot and also very high maintenance.

It took approximately eight seconds for them to go from thrilled that school was out to B-O-R-E-D, bored.

They want to watch TV all day. Unfortunately, their Evil Overlord Parents have put the nix on that plan.

They want to play Nintendo all day. Note that we have one (1) DS and three (3) girls. This is a problem. And not a problem I have any intention of fixing, thanks. They get an hour apiece and then the battery is dead and needs a charge. What to do, what to do…?

They are left with such horrors as playing outside or reading a book or perhaps playing a non-computerized game.

I know. Somebody call CPS! It’s an emergency!

People often get all dreamy-eyed and say things like, “Oh, isn’t it wonderful that you’ll be able to work from home! You won’t have to pay for daycare, and you can be home with your children while working!”

I have this feeling that the vision dancing behind their eyes is like something out of an Elizabethan painting. Docile children tending the livestock whilst Mumsie spins the wool, all of us gently beaming upon each other with the goodwill wrought of honest, family-togetherness-oriented labor.

Bless their hearts.

The reality, of course, is much different. It isn’t that working from home with them bouncing around is impossible. It’s just damned difficult and turns me into a frazzled wreck of a woman in about eighteen seconds.

Hence, I dug deep into my wallet and ponied up the cash for my little darlings to attend four weeks of day camp. I’m sparing them the week that is sports-oriented because, well, they loathe sports, and reserving the right to send them for the final two weeks if they are enjoying the day camp experience and driving me crazy when they’re home all day.

Next week, they go to camp…and I go to work while they’re out. They play at the pool, and the library, and in the arts and crafts center, and take a weekly field trips to places like Great America or The Jungle.

I wrangle SQL, work the stock market, and chat up my contacts.

We all have fun.

Let the games begin.

4 comments:

Yarnhog said...

My husband and I both work from home, which is already challenging. Add the kids into the mix, and well. Mine are going to day camp for three weeks (at $1800 for the two of them!) After that, I'm considering a kennel. There are some pretty nice ones around here.

Tola said...

when i worked customer service for a cable company, i took a call from a frantic parent: "i know i havent paid my bill but you have to turn on my TV because what am i going to do with the kids all summer if they cant watch TV?" my response (and this call was actually monitored and scored) was: "sir, im sure a town of your size has a library. use it!"

tina said...

gah- we still have over one more week of school.
After which, I am promptly leaving for the Netherlands and the elf's activities are on someone else's plate to plan - however - if anyone knows a disaffected recent grad or college student with a passport who is willing to exchange low pay for all expenses paid hanging out in Europe (for 4 weeks in July & Aug) babysitting an 8 year old - have her send me an email...

Anonymous said...

ROFL, love yarnhog's idea....I've considered a kennel myself. Or at least time-release locks on the OUTside of their bedroom doors. Good luck to you!!