I am enjoying my last day of peace and quiet at home. I have two days off of work each week, Tuesday and Thursday, and I have used that time to recharge my batteries, so to speak. Beginning next week, those two days will be full of listening to my children bicker and fight. I cannot believe the school year is over already!
Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I look forward to having a bit more time with them, but now I am faced with the prospect of figuring out what exactly there is to do this year. With the economy in a downslide, not only in the larger global sense, but also in my own home, options this year will be far more limited than they have been in the past. Gone are the days of just dropping everything to go out bowling or sightseeing somewhere. The budget is quite tight these days, but of course the children have yet to grasp that fact.
My daughter is almost 15 now, and she has actually been looking for a job. The problem with that is that with so many adults looking for work, they are taking the jobs that have usually been available for teenagers. Even our local McDonald's is not hiring this year, they say they have more staff than they need. She is getting frustrated because she wants to have her own income so that she can go to the mall with friends and spend money at Hot Topic, our favorite store by far.
My son is 7 and he is looking forward to a summer filled with outings, as has usually been the way of things in my household. I did purchase the backyard playset recently, and we also have a pool...so here's to hoping that those things can occupy him for a while anyway. We do have one vacation planned for mid-July, camping with the whole family at Lake Ossippee, NH which will be fun...13 people crammed into a 3 bedroom cabin! Thank god for tents!!!
I'm sure I'll figure out some nice day trips that are inexpensive. With that said, I am looking forward to some nice quality time with the family since I am starting law school in August, and from what everyone tells me, after that starts I won't even have time to breathe!
Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I look forward to having a bit more time with them, but now I am faced with the prospect of figuring out what exactly there is to do this year. With the economy in a downslide, not only in the larger global sense, but also in my own home, options this year will be far more limited than they have been in the past. Gone are the days of just dropping everything to go out bowling or sightseeing somewhere. The budget is quite tight these days, but of course the children have yet to grasp that fact.
My daughter is almost 15 now, and she has actually been looking for a job. The problem with that is that with so many adults looking for work, they are taking the jobs that have usually been available for teenagers. Even our local McDonald's is not hiring this year, they say they have more staff than they need. She is getting frustrated because she wants to have her own income so that she can go to the mall with friends and spend money at Hot Topic, our favorite store by far.
My son is 7 and he is looking forward to a summer filled with outings, as has usually been the way of things in my household. I did purchase the backyard playset recently, and we also have a pool...so here's to hoping that those things can occupy him for a while anyway. We do have one vacation planned for mid-July, camping with the whole family at Lake Ossippee, NH which will be fun...13 people crammed into a 3 bedroom cabin! Thank god for tents!!!
I'm sure I'll figure out some nice day trips that are inexpensive. With that said, I am looking forward to some nice quality time with the family since I am starting law school in August, and from what everyone tells me, after that starts I won't even have time to breathe!